Cooking With Kids

Picture this – You are enjoying your Sunday siesta and suddenly a little monster whispers into your ear “Mom I am hungry!!” Instead of fretting about what to cook and resorting to unhealthy junk food options, wouldn’t it be so wonderful if you could just say”make your own meal”?

Introducing kids to cooking at an early stage helps parents inculcate one of the most basic life skills into them and also develops their creativity. It gives them a strong feeling of independence. Not to forget that we groom them to be more self-sufficient and in turn, all the mommies can catch up on the quick nap while they keep themselves busy and full.

So when and what is the right way to open the doors of the kitchen to the kids??

Make cooking fun and letting them develop this as a hobby. You can also ask them to join you in the kitchen during festivals. Make them shape laddoos on Diwali or whip up the cake batter during Christmas. This will not only strengthen your bond but also create a long lasting memory.

Educate them to stay away from the stove or sharp objects like knives and only use these under supervision. Flameless cooking is the safest way to begin with. Invest in wooden /plastic utensils.

Start with asking them to help you in prepping a meal. They can start with the grating, peeling, garnishing, kneading and mixing. Make them garnish and finally decorate the food.It brings out their creativity and you can be amazed at the random ideas they can come up with.

Keep things handy in the kitchen so that they can reach out at convenience. Make them see, touch, smell and taste the ingredients. This will keep them intrigued and remember that’s the key to being a good cook.

Appreciate their efforts and slowly encourage them to handle things independently. Remember you are not only introducing your child to a life skill but who knows you might even set up the basic stepping stone for their career one day.#Cookingwithkids #Lifeskill

Image via Pixabay

Sangeeta Srivastava

Esoteric

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