Teaching kids to cook

[thyme4change]

I really want my kids to know how to cook, and I like when they will particpate in making dinner with me. Then it feels more like family time, rather than "I am the servant" time. My kids are 6 and 8. They aren't ready to start cutting and chopping. Against all advice, I do let them stir stuff in pots and pans on burners. They do very well with that.

I DO NOT want to teach them to bake. First off, I hate baking. Second, I want them to learn how to make a dinner, not a cake.

So far they know how to make spaghetti, tacos, meatloaf, and shrimp. They know how I roast broccoli, potatoes and asparagus. They have also helped me prep ham, which is precooked, I just warm it up in the oven, and they know how to roll hot dogs in cresent rolls. (Now you know the full value of my talents - Top Chef - here I come!)

I was thinking that I would teach them to make chicken kabobs, and then put them on the grill.

What else can you think of that is somewhat healthy and would teach both valuable food prep lessons, as well as a love for cooking?

[Deleted]

cookies

[celticqueen]

My DS is 4 and he loves to help cook. I won't let him around the hot pans or knives but I do let him mix stuff. When we make muffins he gets to put the muffin cup liners in the pan and help fill them. I think it's great to teach kids to cook. It's a valuable life skill and if they can learn to enjoy it, so much the better.

When I was growing up I got Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Kids. I loved that cookbook and still have it to this day. I thought I was so grown up when my mom let me cook a meal out of it all by myself. I don't know if they still publish it or not. It was a very good cookbook for kids because the recipes were simple and they had a reference section in the front to teach about different types of pots and pans, different measurements, etc.

I think it would be great to teach your kids to cook some family recipes, if you have any. That way you can talk about the history of your family as well as teaching them the actual cooking. Another thing that's great to learn that was hard for me to grasp when I first started cooking was how to time everything so that it gets done at the same time. That could be a good math lesson too.

[thyme4change]

Muffins and cookies are both considered "baking" and neither are part of my dinner plan (for the most part.) I'm trying to get them to cook meals - not sweets.

I will look and see if they still have the Betty Crocker for kids.

[Deleted]

I'm thinking of things they can choose ingredients for (even if they are a little whacky) and put together. Things like pizza, omelets, crazy cous cous, etc.

[chiver78]

what about stir-fry? your kids can pick the protein, veggies and sauce, then help you wash and prep them for the wok. you can also show them how to cook rice with this.

[thyme4change]

That's a good idea. I am not very good with the wok, but I do a version of stir-fry with lots of veges and we have 2 or 3 sauces that are good. I just use a flat fry pan. After all my attempts, I've never had a batch of stir fry from the wok turn out well.

How do you cook rice like that?

[Deleted]

You could also show them how to make -

Pasta salads & potato salad- cook the pasta and potatoes and let them do all the adding and mixing.

Baked beans (I always just doctor up the canned ones)

Soups - like vegetable soup where you open cans and throw in baby carrots and seasonings after browning the meat or chili where you can do the same.

For the grill you can do corn on the cob and other vegetables in tinfoil packages

As far as baking goes, I know you don't really want to teach them sweets, but what about like biscuits to serve with dinner or other breads - they make some good mixes for that.

Just a few ideas...

[thyme4change]

I like the idea of the vegetable packs on the grill. We have made these before, but never thought to let the kids "build their own."

Another win is that my daughter loved the spaghetti squash I made the other night. Now that she sees that as a favorite food, I bet she would love to use the fork to pull all the strands out of the squash for us. That is a fun task anyway.

We do make homemade pizza about once a month, and they always build that themselves.

[The J]

Personally, I think an 8 year old, in general, should be able to start doing some cutting (I was by then, and I'm not the most coordinated person in the world).

That being said, meatballs and meatloaf are good things to start with. Mashed potatos (or sweet potatos). They can help make a cheese sauce for mac and cheese. They can make a bunch of different things if you do the prep work of cutting up the ingredients before hand.

[chiver78]

Jan 4, 2011 17:35:49 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

That's a good idea. I am not very good with the wok, but I do a version of stir-fry with lots of veges and we have 2 or 3 sauces that are good. I just use a flat fry pan. After all my attempts, I've never had a batch of stir fry from the wok turn out well.

How do you cook rice like that?

I cook my rice separately for the stir-fry, the normal way. but when I use up the leftover rice (I always make extra) later, I cook it in the wok with different veggies and tamari, a dark soy, to make fried rice.

for my fried rice, I use onion, scallion, bean sprouts, thinly sliced white mushrooms, and pea pods.

come to think of it, that's another night you can have the kids help prep for the wok.

[steff]

I started my son off by making things like homemade pizzas, pasta salads, tacos, crockpot meatballs, chicken & dumplings, scrambling eggs, stir fry. And I'd say at ages 6 & 8, they are ready to do things like peeling the potatoes & carrots, tearing lettuce for the salad, mashing potatoes and almost any & all "assembly" on things with supervision. Along with washing precut veggies and in general helping out. Setting the table....clearing the table.... emptying the dishwasher.

We also did make muffins and homemade cinnamon rolls that he would then have for breakfast the next day.

Hubby also let him help with the grilling, getting to turn the corn on the cob or hotdogs. All while explaining (repeatedly since they are little) this how you know what this or that is done, this is when we put the bbq sauce on.

My kiddo is 16 now and the only thing I wouldn't let him cook at this point is fried chicken.

Learning to cook are life skills that all kids need to know and to help keep them away from fast food & processed frozen foods. They will realize that their homemade pizza is better than any frozen one or even Dominos. and then you move on to teaching them how to do laundry on their own.

[steff]

Oh, and while you may not like to bake or think that you don't want them to make a cake. It does teach them to follow a recipe, work with measurements and a sense of accomplishment. Letting them bake a cake for a special occassion can be a good experience for everyone. They get all sorts of praise for the job they do and get to feel like they did something 'special' for the occassion.... like baking dad's birthday cake or a cake to take to gramma's house when you visit. or even cupcakes to take to school for their friends.

[thyme4change]

Well, it isn't like I'm against them learning to bake a cake - it is just that whenever you search for
"cooking with kids" you get 75 recipes for sweets, and two sets of instructions on how to cut vegetables to look like a mouse.

I'm looking for dinner ideas. I know how to buy a cake mix, or follow a cookie recipe. Those are definately easy to do with kids because there is no cutting and no heat - just a lot of measuring and mixing. But, I know a lot of people whose kitchen education stopped there. I'm trying to avoid that by teaching kids that food is #1 and sweets are secondary. I'm comfortable with sending them that message.

[steff]

Ok....will keep my advice to myself from now on.... Sorry

[thyme4change]

I'm sorry - please don't be so sensitive. I'm just looking for ideas that are not cakes, cookies and muffins. Those are no brainers. For as many cook books for kids that are out there, I'm surprised at how few really have actual meals in them.

I guess no one wants the liability of letting kids use a stove top.

[steff]

I did make other "meal" suggestions in the post before the cake one.

[Deleted]

I also thought about lasagna and casseroles like chicken spaghetti... the lasagna they could have fun with all the layering, etc and with the "no cook" noodles available now it's a lot easier!

[steff]

The International Cookbook for Kids

*60 classic recipes from Italy, France, China, and Mexico *More than 100 full-color photographs and illustrations *Hardcover with concealed spiral binding lies flat when open *Easy-to-follow recipe format *Kid-tested recipes *Chef’s tips discussing ingredients, nutrition, and technique *Safety section discussing basic kitchen precautions *Cooking terms and definitions *Special taco-party section

*Dishes of every kind: Appetizers, Salads, Soups, Main Dishes, Vegetables and Sides, and Desserts *Basic ingredients that can be found in any grocery store

The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids

Classic recipes from Greece, Thailand, Brazil, and India that the whole family can enjoy cooking and eating

[steff]

Williams-Sonoma Kids in the Kitchen: Fun Food

"Fun Food" showcases twenty-five thoroughly 'kid friendly' recipes for beginning chefs ages 8 to 11 with clear, step-by-step, fully illustrated directions for easy-to-prepare recipes that range from such classics as macaroni & cheese; chicken noodle soup; sesame fish sticks; and spaghetti & meatballs; to veggie dishes for young vegetarians including stuffed baked potatoes; spring peas with mint; roasted carrots; and sauteed green beans.

[wackyaunt]

-A little kid can put together salads (especially if you precut the lettuce or use salad in a bag). It also helps if you are a sous chef while they may be napping or rest time. Slice and dice all the veggies and let them do final assembly. By age 6 my kids had learned to cut soft foods with a sharp knife tho. If they could cut their food at the table, they were ready to move on to food processing/prep.
-Make croutons by cutting up slices of bread (can be done with a table knife) into cubes and placing on a cookie sheet (you bake the cubes in a low and slow oven until desired crunchiness--you can season or not, I don't and I don't add any butter or oil to them, so mine are more like little toast cubes on a salad)
-Meatloaf. They can press the button on the food processor to grind croutons (above), carrots, celery, onion and then mix into the burger with an egg and S&P. (You can have them make mini loaves in a muffin pan or shape into mini loaves.)
-My kids always thought it was fun to make salad dressing. One of our favorites is a vinegrette, measure and mix ingredients into a shaker bottle and seal tightly and let them shake, shake, shake. Other types of salad dressings they helped measure ingredients, pour into blender and push the button when it was ready to mix. Just a couple of non-cookie ideas.

[Cookies Galore]

I also think mac and cheese would be an easy introduction to cooking, and it lets them know there are better things than Kraft (of they eat it)!
I was also going to suggest letting them use the food processor. I don't know much about kids, but they make noise and mash things up; isn't that what boys like?
Do you make chicken cutlets? Letting them man the egg wash is a good start. I think.
I'm trying to remember what, if anything, I did in the kitchen when I was little. My mom is a terrible cook, so that's probably why I have no memory of cooking with her. I did teach myself a lot and working in a restaurant helped improve my skills.

[kadee]

I know this is a "new" day & time but by age 8 I was cooking my own breakfasts, bacon/eggs, and preparing family meals in the evening. I grew up on a farm where everyone worked! And this was after my evening outside chores were completed & before any homework had been done.
Outside was bringing the cows in from the pasture for milking, feeding them, corn & hay, sloping the hogs, gathering the eggs & possibly getting some items from the veggie garden for supper (depended on the season).
And our cooking was done on a wood cook stove so you learned at a very early age that it could burn! Yes, spills happened and you got to clean up your own mess. I was doing some easy stuff at about age 5.

Just had a after thought here....I was still making mud pies when it was nice enough to play outside too!

[Deleted]

Thyme, my kids are a little older than yours (14, 10, 9) and I have been having them help me cook since they were about 6 or so.
Some ideas- ham and cheese omelets. My kids love to make these. Yes, it is tricky for them to turn them and so I still do most of the omelet flipping.
Chicken nuggets-no not the bag kind. I take chicken breast and cut them up into chunks. I then have the kids dip them into honey mustard (or whatever mustard you want or you could just dip in eggs) and them bread crumbs. Then we bake them. Kids love them and it is fairly healthy (much healthier than frozen ones).
Chili- I have the kids help me brown the burger. I do use canned beans. I have the kids open the cans for me and they rinse the beans and pour them into the pan.

I have taught them how to use the rice cooker. So sometimes I will have them make scrambled eggs and rice for dinner.
I have a few more ideas, but I will have to think for a bit so it isn't so jumbled.

[The J]

This was the first cookbook I received as a child:
www.amazon.com/Walt-Disneys-Mickey-Mouse-Cookbook/dp/0307168123/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1294237704&sr=8-5

(I actually just came across it the other day -- didn't realize I still had it). It had a good blend of foods and desserts, and was simply to use.

[Tiny]

I'd teach them how to read recipes - and I'd let them occassionally bake a cake or make cookies from scratch. If you can teach them what various "cooking terms" means and get them familiar with typical recipe formats you'll be giving the a fantastic foundation...
Things my SIL's and Friends who could "cook by sight" but had no idea what they meant:
What does tsp, TBLS, mean??
How much was 1 cup of butter? (2 sticks of butter)
How to cream butter.
What order to add ingredients (cream the butter than add the sugar and eggs - don't everything in the bowl at once and hope for the best).
Add the longer cooking veggies first - onion, garlic, peppers and finish up with the mushrooms and zuchinni...
How to cook pasta.
That there's a diffence between Baking Powder and Baking Soda - they aren't interchangable...

Be patient with your kids... let them mess around alittle and experiment. My SIL and friends who could cook by sight/feel ONLY cooked things they were familiar with... they wouldn't try to cook anything new... too scary and intimidating.

[Apple]

I second (or third, or fourth) meatloaf idea, especially if they like to play with it and really get their hands dirty DS is 13 and has asked if we can try new things when we do meatloaf, he's come up with a few good things.
Soups--start with a basic broth like beef broth and then let them add what they think sounds good, hamburger, different veggies, beans, noodles, whatever. You can do this with mostly leftovers so it's cheap and if it doesn't turn out absolutely delicious, at least you didn't throw a bunch of money at it.
I bought some Ramen noodles for when I got my tonsils out and DS was probably 12 the first time he ever ate any. I wasn't in the mood to cook and told him to just find something he could make himself. First thing he did was ask what he could add to it. I tried some and it was actually really good! I think it had hamburger, carrots and brocolli.

ETA: J, we had that same cook book as a kid. I wonder if my mom still has it...?

[Apple]

Oh, another easy recipe for kids is "lazy" enciladas...
need:
tortillas--if you tear or cut them into wide strips they layer better (I like white corn, I made this for my parents once and my dad wanted to try it later. All he had on hand were flour tortillas and he said they worked fine, I can't vouch for them though)
meat (leftover taco meat, shredded chicken or beef)
cheese (I just use cheddar)
enchilada sauce (I use up at least two regular--15 oz or whatever-- cans or one large can)
and anything else you want:
refried beans
onions
olives
chilies
sour cream (I usually freeze the leftovers into idv servings but when I heat them up again I don't always have sour cream on hand, so I just add it while layering instead)
etc.
in a casserole dish/9x13 pan start with a layer of sauce, then tortillas, then your beans, meat, cheese and extras, add another layer of tortillas, then sauce, and continue until you get close to the top of the dish or run out of stuff. I always end with a layer of tortillas covered with sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for half an hour or so (this part is estimated, sometimes it takes 45 minutes). Remove foil and top with shredded cheese, bake a few minutes longer until cheese melts.

[starearedkid]

I don't have kids yet, but my friends do; and she loves Emeril's Kid's Cookbooks. I had tasted a bunch of recipes in there, and loved the ones I tasted. It seems to have different types of levels in it, but many of the ideas seem to be more "meals" than baked goods.

[whoisjohngalt]

I'll probably be no help as my oldest is only 2.5 and I have no clue what 6 and 8 yr olds are capable of, but I can tell you what I do (if you promise not to report me to CPS). I put him on the counter top and let him watch me cook. The greatest cook I am not, but I whenever I make soups or meatballs or bruchetta or other not very complicated things I let him watch it and participate to some extent. I chop and he puts things into pots and mixing bowls. I also let him add spices and such. I let him push the button on the little chopper.

Basically, all I am trying to do is get him used to the kitchen, raw ingredients and the whole idea. I think that's the most important part. The cooking itself can be learned later. For now, it's nothing more than yet another "different" activity we do.

Lena