{"id":7549,"date":"2012-04-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-04-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/including-kids-in-cooking\/"},"modified":"2012-04-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-04-03T00:00:00","slug":"including-kids-in-cooking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/es\/including-kids-in-cooking\/","title":{"rendered":"Including Kids in Cooking"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Let’s face it, in today\u2019s world, it’s hard to carve out time to spend together in the kitchen.\u00a0 We’re lucky if we eat meals together as a family, let alone, try and make the meal together. Yes, including kids in cooking and preparing meals can be daunting: it means extra time and definitely extra clean-up. But, it might be worth the extra effort, as there are benefits that everyone (kids and parents) can gain from the experience.<\/p>\n

When kids are in the kitchen, they have the opportunity to become more interested in food.\u00a0 If they are part of the preparation of meals, they might be more willing to try different foods.\u00a0 Cooking also can boost confidence as children are accomplishing something and learning skills they can use for the rest of their lives. If a child has prepared a meal, he or she is more likely to be excited about sitting down as a family to eat it. You as a parent get extra quality time with your children to see how they learn and it allows you to support and give praise to your child, thus strengthening your relationship. This time together allows you and your child to interact with a common goal, to share stories and keep communications open.<\/p>\n

So how do we start including kids in the kitchen?\u00a0 Don’t plan to start in the busiest time of year. Pick a weekend when schedules might be a little more relaxed. Children around the ages of two or three show interest in being in the kitchen and that\u2019s a great time to begin. Start with easy dishes, such as making pasta, smoothies or sandwiches.<\/p>\n

Trying to figure out what your child is capable of doing? Here are some ideas.<\/p>\n