This Covid-19 pandemic takes a toll on mental health not only with adults but with children as well. One of the best ways to escape and battle your kid’s boredom at home is to teach them to get interested in cooking.
Meal preparation will not only give them a significant lifelong lesson of being independent and self-reliant but can help them with other valuable lessons like how to make delicious food even with what is only available ingredients on hand.
You can teach your kid about the importance of eating right when you prepare healthy meals together.
There are simple ways on how to motivate them to get interested in cooking:
Watch cooking videos together
Spend time watching cooking shows with your kid. They will develop their cooking interest when they see videos or tv shows featuring little kids cooking.
Play Food Education Games
Let your kids play food education games that can get them to familiarize themselves with food, farming, cooking, and learn about healthy foods versus unhealthy foods. This way they can achieve two things in a single action, that is they enjoy playing at the same time learning.
Veggiezilla is a gardening game where players help Molly grow award winning vegetables in her garden. Water plants, add fertilizer, and block bug invasions.
Cooking together
Start by giving your child small tasks he can do to help prepare dinner. This way he will not be overwhelmed that can discourage him to proceed to help you in the kitchen.
Teaching meal preparation and supervision depends on your child’s age. For children 5 years old and below, a simple sandwich-making can do for a start.
Encourage creativity when baking cookies or decorating cakes. Ask for their suggestions and input.
Teach them to enjoy food
Children will develop their interest in cooking if they enjoy what they are eating. Most kids nowadays are picky eaters, so be a good example. Introduce them to eat fruits and vegetables while they’re young. Let them see that you enjoy eating what you buy, cook, and serve them.
Do grocery time together
Bring along your kid when you do grocery shopping. However, make sure that you choose the best time that there are fewer people in the supermarket as we still have to be cautious of being safe not to contract the Covid-19 virus.
Make a list of your menu’s ingredients before going to the supermarket and let your child pick out the needed ingredients. This way he will get acquainted with different vegetables, meat, and even condiments and spices.
Great tips. My children love to help in the kitchen and then brag about what their contribution was to the meal.