Cooking With Kids

Lots of children love to cook.

With little ones that may mean simply stirring the ingredients an adult puts in a mixing bowl and licking the spoon afterwards. Older kids may be able to handle sharp knives and hot stoves, and kids in between can help in many ways such as getting out foods and equipment, measuring and adding ingredients, and cleaning up afterwards.

Besides providing some together time with a parent in the kitchen, letting kids help with cooking has many benefits. It helps them appreciate the work that goes into preparing meals, and gives them experience following directions.

Measuring ingredients helps with math skills, and recipes are short opportunities to practice reading. If more than one child is involved, cooking provides the opportunity and motivation to share responsibilities and take turns.

For reluctant eaters, helping to prepare a meal can motivate them to at least taste foods they might otherwise refuse.

And the pleasure of sharing foods they cooked or helped to prepare helps kids learn the value of hard work.

Pickles

My name is Janet Ann Collins and I am a pickle addict. Yes, really. (Well, sort of.)

Because of my food allergies I couldn't eat pickles for years and about a year ago I was delighted to find some with no ingredients I'm allergic to. My husband and I eat them nearly every day in sandwiches for lunch and I chop the pickles to put in tuna and potato salad in the summer.

But that's not all.

I've discovered that many foods taste delicious when cooked in pickle juice. For quick, homemade meals I often pour pickle juice over fish or chicken parts and microwave them. That's an easy way for kids to prepare a main dish.

And celery, cut up and boiled in a mixture of pickle juice and water, makes a tasty vegetable that might appeal to some fussy eaters.

If kids like sweet pickles, a few of the tiny ones are a good green veggie to pack in a school lunch.

I hope some of these suggestions appeal to other people. Maybe there will be more pickle addicts as a result.

Where Does Food Come From?

After the Special Ed class where I had worked as a substitute teacher was over for the day I went to help the afternoon Kindergarten teacher. Her class was digging up the carrots they had planted earlier in the year and the children were thrilled and amazed to see what their seeds had produced. Even those who didn't like vegetables were eager to taste the carrots they had grown themselves.

I've also seen children eagerly devour food they helped to cook even if was something didn't normally like.

We all know childhood obesity is a problem, but eating healthier foods can help with that. In our American society where both parents (or the only parent) must work at jobs away from home fewer families eat food made from scratch. Heating up something from the freezer saves valuable time and fast foods are called that for a good reason.

But we don't have to eat quickly every day. Cooking together is a good way to have family together time and growing even a few edible plants in flower pots helps kids learn.

Of course hot stoves and sharp knives are dangerous for little children, but even if someone else must do the chopping or put things on and off of the burner kids can do a lot to help prepare meals. Doing that may encourage them to eat healthy foods and can also increase their confidence.