Cooking With Kids

There is a lot being said about teaching children to eat the right kinds of food, and the best way is to get them to help out in the kitchen or even learning to cook simple dishes for themselves.

Being brought up on a busy farm, mum was always busy cooking. One of my earliest memories is that every Thursday was baking day, and, when I wasn’t at school, I was in the kitchen trying to help, but not always being successful!

Getting the children involved will teach them such things as nutrition and healthy eating, which are so important in today’s fast- and junk-food age. Also, it provides quality family time, creating memories such as mine which can be passed onto our children.

Of course, it may take you longer to cook the meal, and there may be more mess to clear up, but the child’s self esteem will be worth it. Also, children will be more likely to eat what they have made and they will learn about different ingredients and how they work together which is quite educational.

However, some rules must be set, such as not letting very young child loose with a knife, and to keep them away from hot oil, since they are more at eyelevel with the top of the stove.

Try to find simple recipes, and get them to read and find the ingredients for themselves. Also, doubling or halving the recipe helps improve their maths.

One of the most important parts of learning to cook is the clearing up when finished. We all know that there is no such thing as the “clearing up fairy” that will magically make the kitchen clean and tidy while you eat your meal, so it is important to instil into the children that this is all included in the preparation of a meal.

I have a couple of simple no-cook ideas for the younger children to get them used to measuring out and mixing.

The first is a simple dip made by mixing together half a cup of peanut butter with half a cup of plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons of honey. This goes well with slices of apple, banana, carrot sticks, celery sticks or slices of green pepper.

 Another easy one is devilled eggs.

Of course, the children will need help with boiling the eggs, but afterwards let them shell the eggs for you to cut in half. They can then scoop out the yolks and mash them before adding mayonnaise with curry powder, anchovies or whatever flavour they want to try.

While it may not be restaurant style when they spoon, or even try to pipe, the yolk-mixture back onto the egg halves, it will be their own work.

Another of my favourites is a chocolate Rice Krispies treat for which you need:

¼ cup butter

2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 pkt or about 40 regular marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup raisins, cherries or slivered almonds

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and marshmallows over a low heat, stirring until melted.

2. Stir in the cocoa powder and remove the pan from the heat.

3. While still warm, stir in the Rice Krispies and raisins, cherries or almonds, and stir until the ingredients are all well coated.

4. Either press the mixture into a greased baking tray, or the messier but favourite way is to roll a spoon of the mixture into a ball and put into small paper cookie cases.

Leave to cool and the whole family is sure to enjoy them.