Cooking with kids
With MasterChef on our screens every night, it’s no wonder everyone is getting interested in cooking, including kids. It can be a great way to spend time with the family as well as introducing healthy eating and kitchen skills that kids can use for life. Cleaning up the sixth broken egg off the floor can be exhausting so try and keep a couple of things in mind…
Keep it simple – There are a number of easy online recipes for kids as well as a number of cookbooks that can provide inspiration. Sandwiches, pizzas and smoothies are a good place to start with kids, as they require no boiling water, spitting oil or sharp knives.
For recipes that do require sharp knives, heated pans and ovens, make sure an adult is on standby to do the tricky bits. Chop everything before you start cooking and leave the simpler tasks like pouring in the milk, stirring the mixture and licking the bowl to the young ones.
Cracking eggs – Letting kids crack the eggs into the bowl is often the first step for them in the kitchen. But more often than not, eggs can end up on the floor or on the bench and shell can be scattered through the cake batter. Try and keep eggs on the bench in their box to stop them from rolling away. Crack the eggs into a smaller bowl first, so that you can scoop out any rogue bits of shell before adding it to the mixture.
Wash your hands – It’s never too early to instil a good sense of kitchen hygiene in your kids! Make sure they wash their hands before they start cooking as well as each time they change ingredients, especially after raw meat.
Wear an apron – Ensure the kids’ school uniforms and school wear are nowhere to be seen when you start cooking or you may have another load of washing to do! An oversized t-shirt or a mini apron is perfect for covering up their clothes and also means you can relax and not worry about how much mess they are making.
Read the recipe together – Reading the recipe together can develop a sense of logical progression and even help to develop maths skills. If the recipe says half a cup, ask your child to look at the measures and tell you which one is the right one to use. Encourage them to count everything as you do it, like how many eggs are cracked or how many teaspoons of sugar are added.
Be prepared for mess – Cooking with youngsters is never going to be tidy. Enough said.
Heap on the praise – Even if the cake didn’t rise or the pizza burnt, try and compliment the kids on the efforts anyway. No doubt they will learn from their mistakes.
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