Teach Your Kids to Cook

Let’s face it. Food is important. We all eat, and we all depend on food to fuel our bodies and keep us energized. When it comes to basic needs, food ranks pretty high on the list. Right up there with water, breathing, and sleep.

So why have we turned to fast food, eating out, and microwaves to feed ourselves? Most of us would blame it on a busy lifestyle, which can be true. However, if food is so important, shouldn’t we put a little effort into making it valuable to us.

It is this very thought which has led me to decide to teach my kids to cook real food would be one of the greatest things I could do for them. Sure, I take time to instill values and morals. We read together, play together, and even exercise together. However, their home education doesn’t stop with the basics. They need to learn life skills as well, learning about healthy food choices and how to prepare food in a fun and healthy way has become an important part of family time.

Teaching children to cook has many great benefits: Health, appreciation, future life skills, and budget balancing all play a role in cooking and meal planning. Knowing that my kids would understand what food could do for them, and appreciate it in a way I never did growing up, means a lot to me.

Teach the Health Benefits

More and more we are hearing how processed and prepackaged foods are wreaking havoc on our bodies, and it is no secret that a diet of fast food is the fast track to a very unhealthy life. Teaching your children to cook real food with real ingredients can keep them from developing unhealthy eating habits early in life. I take my children to the store with me and show them how to read food labels and where to get the best foods. Even now, my eight-year-old is starting to understand what foods are healthy and what ones aren’t. She even made a comment the other day about how Oreos are trying to take over the world.

Once they understand what foods are good for them, they will be able to make better choices when faced with different food options. Letting kids understand food and what nutrients they are putting in their bodies show them the best way to organize meals and snacks in order to live a healthy lifestyle. They will learn to develop flavors without having to infuse additives that are not healthy for them.

Teach Kids to Appreciate What They Eat

Food is necessary for our bodies. When you appreciate what you put in your body you will put more care and effort into it. Healthy food takes time and determination but can be the tastiest and most fulfilling food you will ever put in your mouth. Children need to be taught how caring about their food can make the food better for them. Don’t simply hand them a plate. Let them take the time to put their meal together, and then sit down and eat it together. Praise their good efforts and give positive feedback for how they can improve their next time. When they see that other people enjoy their food, they will learn to appreciate the energy it takes to make it.

Prepare Your Kids for Their Future

Growing up is hard enough without being shoved into the world without a clue of what to do once there. When kids go out on their own, they will need to know how to wash clothes and dishes, clean a house, and, of course, feed themselves. A college student’s budget doesn’t usually allow for much when it comes to eating out. If you have already taken the time to show your children how to buy healthy food and create their own meals without going over budget, they will be prepared for life on their own. The transition from childhood to adulthood will go more smoothly, and they may even avoid falling victim to the Freshman Fifteen curse.

Aside from being able to take care of themselves, knowing how to cook will give them a skill they can use as a job. Even if it is not their career of choice, it can be a great skill for a first job while they become educated or as a fallback during tough times. Cooking is a skill which can be used in many ways as an adult, and as a parent, we should give these opportunities to our children.

How Teaching Them Benefits You

Teaching your children to cook doesn’t only give them a leg up in life, it also can be a wonderful thing for you. Say you have been working long hours and coming home to make a meal for your family is the last thing on your mind. If your children know how to cook, they can take this burden off of you. Setting certain nights your children plan to cook will give them a sense of responsibility and you extra time to relax. Now doesn’t that sound nice?

There is always the issue of you not knowing how to cook yourself. If this is the case, well, the internet is full of websites with recipes ready and waiting for you to try. Look up some of your favorite takeout meals, or type in healthy foods you especially enjoy. You may very well be amazed at how quick and easy a home cooked meal is, and your children will love the time you spend together learning as a family.