Quality Time
Green Goodness
Besides providing a potential solution for picky eating, cooking with kids has been proven to increase their vegetable intake. According to a study that appeared in the August 2014 issue of Appetite, children who participated in preparing a meal ate 76 percent more salad than the children who just sat down at the table.
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Build Confidence
Another bonus of cooking together: It helps boost your children's self-esteem, which will carry into other aspects of their lives. "When kids develop confidence in the kitchen, they take pride in the culinary creations they serve to others," says Harris-Pincus. Fostering confidence early on is invaluable, regardless of whether they become professional chefs or not.
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Prevention Power
Not only are you teaching your kids invaluable skills in the kitchen, you're also decreasing their risk of life-threatening disease. "When we teach our kids how to prepare healthy meals at home, we help them maintain a healthy weight," says Halas-Liang. "Eating so many meals away from home, with calorie-dense foods in big portion sizes, is a big contributor to our nation's struggle with childhood obesity. And we know that poor eating habits in childhood are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer as adults."
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Picky Picky
Got a finicky eater in the bunch? Make sure that one in particular is cooking alongside you. Chances are he may be a little more willing to try a broccoli casserole or grilled salmon when he's had a hand in making it. "Kids are more likely to taste dishes they help prepare, so cookingwith picky eaters is an excellent way to introduce them to new foods," says Harris-Pincus.
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One of the Team
According to Rutgers University's Visions peer-reviewed newsletter, cooking as a family in the kitchen is one of the first places where a child learns the value of teamwork. Cooking together offers an opportunity to focus on cooperative learning, build communication skills and help them expand their vocabularies.
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Teaching Tools
The kitchen is an amazing teaching resource for kids—whether you're cooking with toddlers or teens. For the youngsters, even the act of whisking eggs is an opportunity to work on their motor skills and see how food can change shape and form, says Melissa Halas-Liang, a nationally recognized nutrition educator, dietitian and founder of Super Kids Nutrition. For older kids, cooking educates them about nutrition, allows them to practice math and helps them learn how to follow directions and stay on task.
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