Kids' Cookin' Made Easy

About author / Christine Gable

Culinary enthusiast; kids cuisine and slow cooking; magazine recipe developer; professional writer. Her simple recipes are great for family dinners.

How’s the cookin’ with the kids going? Have they surprised you? Have they maybe even surprised themselves?

I know one of the biggest stumbling blocks for encouraging my own kids to cook is having the time and the patience, plus having the right ingredients at the right time—and yes, access to simple recipes with kid-appropriate directions. And then there’s the learning curve—if you’ve been working and the kids have been busy, the time to teach those basics is not when everyone’s hungry and wants to eat now.

That’s why I was so excited when I learned about what Dori Young at Kids Cooking is doing. Here’s a kids cooking program that encourages the whole process—from beginning to end—and is delivered right to your door. Dori is creator of the Kids Jr. Cooking Club, a national mail order kids cooking program with four age ranges: Pre-K, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-17, it’s all about the process of learning to cook, with age-specific recipes and activity sheets.

I recently had the pleasure to interview Dori, owner of Kids Cooking, http://www.kidscooking.info, and learned even more about cookin’ with kids:

Christine: Your cooking club seems to be very comprehensive in addressing the entire process of cooking--what are some of the benefits to kids (and families) in approaching cooking as a learning process?

Dori: The best benefit is that all major subject areas can be covered in cooking and even in just one recipe. I take the learning out of the classroom and into the kitchen. Educational areas such as: language arts (reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling), math (fractions, time, money), geography, social studies, multicultural studies, foreign languages, history and art are covered. And for very young children, cooking can help push their cognitive, social and physical development (such as fine motor, sensory exploration, visual spatial and cooperation). Nutrition, food safety and health are also incorporated into the program. The retention level of information is high because the kids are doing something fun and they look forward to learning in the kitchen.

Christine: What are some of the best things you've seen happen to kids as they learn to cook?

Dori: Kids develop a new appreciation of food and they try new foods they would not have otherwise tried. Parents are constantly surprised at the new foods their kids will try and like. It's also wonderful when families take the time to work together in the kitchen. It's hard to find time to cook with our busy schedules. But taking the time to prepare meals with your children is a gift that will last a lifetime.

Christine: What would you recommend to all parents who want to
encourage their children in learning to cook?

Dori: Cook with them! Everyone can get excited about food and nothing creates memories better than good times spent creating good food. Ask them for their opinions on what to have for dinner or lunch and take their suggestions. I recommend that parents set aside one day each week (a day that is not full of stress) that the family can cook together. The food you prepare does not have to be complicated either. Homemade pizza is quick, easy, cheap and kids of all ages can participate. Kids are also much more likely to eat foods that they had a hand in making.

Christine: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Dori: In addition to teaching a necessary life skill and strengthening family bonds, teaching your kids to cook can increase their likelihood of longer lives and help protect them from the three major life threatening conditions facing our society today: diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Kids who grow into adults who know how to cook are less likely to rely on fast food or eating out—food that is often high in sodium, sugar and fat.

I encourage parents to keep this in mind when they think they don't have time to cook with their kids. The way I see it, our job as parents is to do what it takes to protect their children from harm and to raise them to be self sufficient, productive adults. Arming them with healthy eating habits and showing them by example the importance of making time to cook, and encouraging them to prepare healthful meals is part of our job.

Finally, I equally encourage parents to occasionally prepare meals from other countries. International cooking is an excellent way to teach your children about the world they live in and it also sets the stage for tolerance and sensitivity. This was the inspiration behind my See the World through the Kitchen! curriculum series. In an hour’s time, I teach my students about geography, language, culture, international foods and spices, food safety, nutrition and fractions; all while the kids are preparing the food.

Kids become really engaged in learning about other cultures and regions when it centers around food. Learning tolerance and positive information about cultures can have a huge impact on how your children function and relate to others in society, and this is why I include an international lesson plan each month in the Jr. Cooking Club.

Kids Cooking has joined 2500 other organizations as part of the SAY (Shaping America's Youth) network. The ultimate goal of Shaping America’s Youth is to bring together the information, organizations, and individuals that are needed to build partnerships, improve coordination of ongoing efforts, and implement strategies to reverse the epidemic of overweight and inactivity in America’s children. Kids Cooking is now including health and nutrition lesson plans each month in an effort to help further this effort.

Christine: Thank you, Dori, it’s been a pleasure!

Readers, this week I encourage you to take a look at the Kids Cooking site at http://www.kidscooking.info and choose one of Dori’s free recipes for your kids to try. And please let me know how you make out!