Inspiring Your Kids to Love and Create Beautiful Dishes

Children who cook literally become hungrier for healthy food, as found in a study undertaken by University of Alberta researchers. Children generally prefer fruits to veggies because of their delightful sweetness, but those who help their parents in meal preparation enjoy both types of produce.

Moreover, they are more confident about making healthier food choices. This helps them keep weight gain at bay and helps them select nutritional foods throughout their lifetime. If you would like your kids to benefit from meal preparation, how can you entice them to don their apron and whip up tantalizing treats the whole family can enjoy?

Entice kids into the kitchen by pulling out your favorite recipe books and showing them the colorful creations of your favorite food bloggers, cooks, and chefs. If you have more than one child, let each create a bucket list of recipes, and commit to ticking off each of the recipes they choose before the year ends. Designate a day of the week and a time for trying out these dishes, and make sure their list contains a combination of sweet and savory foods.

Don’t just talk about food and nutrition with your children. Create an entire ambience in your kitchen that is visually appealing and entertaining. Invest in safe cooking tools for tots such as small-sized rolling pins, small whisks, child friendly knives, and vividly hued aprons, oven mitts, and a chef’s hat, of course! Take your children along with you when you shop for these items so that they can once again feel like they have a say in the equipment they use.

Privatize your social media channels and create a dedicated channel or account for your family cooking adventures. Post recipes, photos of your family at work, and short stories and videos. Your children will feel highly motivated not only by seeing videos of themselves, but also by the comments, compliments, and encouragement of loved ones.

Before heading to the market, research into the nutritional value of the different ingredients you will be buying. Share this information with your kids and play a few online games that test their knowledge on aspects such as the vitamin and sugar content of common ingredients. Read a short article to children that explains that not all food has the same quality. For instance, organic, seasonal, locally sourced foods can be more nutritious and sustainable. Go online and use a carbon emissions calculator to show children the difference between buying local items and those which have been imported (and transported) from afar.

Letting children help you in the kitchen is a vital way of getting them interested in aspects such as nutrition, flavor, and texture. To motivate your kids, make sure they have fun tools and outfits, and take videos and photos you can keep for posterity. Make it a point to teach children about the nutritional value and carbon footprint of different types of food. Do a little research together before you head to the market to source the ingredients for your next feast.