How the little ones can help in cooking
Participation is everything! Being able to help in the kitchen makes children proud and strengthens the feeling of togetherness within the family.
Cooking with children
Of course, cooking with children is more time-consuming and complex, but it’s worth it! Children who should and are allowed to help early will also be hard-working helpers later. So be patient and give your child a chance in the kitchen.
Small children can bring, fetch, look for, or organize things. Carry the napkins to the table, take an onion out of the bowl or place the carrots next to each other. Kneading dough for the cake is also great fun for children. Seasoning is also wonderful when cooking with children: the child feels important here, it helps to decide how the food tastes. Knowing the herbs for better blood circulation can be learned through cooking with children.
Important tips when cooking with children
- Hot water, heavy pots, pans, and sharp knives are not suitable for children!
- Always keep an eye on your children in the kitchen!
- When helping, it is best for small children to sit down and stand on a non-tilting bench while watching.
- Give your kids a chance in the kitchen.
- Cooking with children is important: By cooking together, children get to know food and how to prepare it.
- Tip: Set up your child’s own department in the kitchen. Plastic bowls, whisks, wooden spoons, and the like are available in a base cabinet.
- Cleaning agents and sharp objects have no place in the base cabinets in the kitchen!
- Practical helpers can be bought for cooking with children. For example, protection so that children cannot reach the hot stove.
- Cooking with children also means baking with children. The little ones love to knead the dough, cut out, and decorate cookies.
- Small children’s play kitchens are fun and of course, are in the “real” kitchen!
Cooking with children increases the appetite
Cooking is part of eating. Those who cook with pleasure will also eat with pleasure. This is especially true for cooking with children, especially for those little gourmets who struggle with eating.
Children use all their senses when dealing with food: seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing, touching. Cooking, preparing, and tasting together increases the child’s appetite and the variety of foods that the child likes.
