7 Ways to Get Your Kids Interested in Cooking ...

One of the ways to get your kids interested in cooking is to get them involved. Obviously they should only do tasks appropriate for their age and motor skills, but even smaller children can do something simple like help set the table. Involving them in the preparation of food will help them become interested and understand that there is work involved in getting a meal ready.

Give your kids the chance to experiment in the kitchen and come up with their own suggestions on what to cook. Even if it's a strange combination of ingredients, give it a try - it might be more interesting than it sounds. Plus they'll learn about what works and be keen to try things out.

Sadly many children (and adults) are so detached from the realities of food production that they can't relate raw ingredients with the food in the shops. Give your kids a space in the garden to grow vegetables. This will not only teach them about the food they eat, but will also be interesting for them as they can actually eat food they've grown themselves.

Take your kids food shopping with you so that they can help you choose items. A farmer's market is ideal as you can talk to the farmers about their produce and get suggestions on how to cook it. This is also a good way to introduce them to new ingredients.

If your kids just sit at the table waiting for the meal to be served, they aren't going to care about how it's produced. So start them off early by giving them a task each. For example, they could be responsible for pouring everyone juice or setting the table. They can also help stir the food as it's cooking or serve people.

Give your kids some say in choosing a menu. Perhaps they could each choose what the family will eat one day a week. Then they can help pick out the ingredients at the store or find them in the cupboard. You could also give them the chance to suggest variations to dishes that you often make.

Finally, watch cookery programs with your kids. Cookery shows are often presented in a fun, lively way that will engage your kids' interest. They'll also learn about how dishes are prepared and discover new dishes. This novelty and process of learning is key to making them want to get into the kitchen and experiment.

There are lots of ways to help your kids learn about food and cooking, which will be incredibly useful when they grow up. It'll also give you a pair of helping hands in the kitchen as they get older! Are you a culinary genius or a kitchen disaster?