Cooking can be a fun activity that teaches numerous life skills to children.
And doing this as a family not only helps strengthen bonds but also creates an opportunity to teach kids about healthy eating habits.
However, cooking with little kids can be quite daunting and stressful, especially for busy moms. I know that you have a lot on your plate (pun totally intended! 🤣😂), so today, I’d like to share some tips to make cooking with your little one an enjoyable and stress-free experience.
But first, I gotta tell you, Junior High football is over!
What does that have to do with cooking, you wonder?
😆 Well, my son coaches junior high football. So, I have to pick my grandson up from daycare and babysit him in the afternoon.
Which gets kinda tricky! I forgot how hard it is to cook with a little one! 😆 So, I planned a lot of one pot meals and leftovers on those nights.
And then last night, my kids all came home (my Connor moved out last weekend! 😱) for Cheeseburger Soup.
See, it’s been on our meal plan wish list 🤣😂 for a couple of weeks now. And I just couldn’t get it made, because there was always a soup or stew that was more important; that had ingredients in it that we needed to use up.
And so, I never got it made before Connor moved out.
Last night was the perfect night! It was the first night of youth hunting, and Connor was coming over to take Toots hunting. Because my husband has been working his butt off lately and couldn’t be home to do it.
And Devin was coming over with my grandson too. 😁 Lucky he was there, or I wouldn’t have been able to peel all those carrots and potatoes!
But that’s what football has to do with cooking. 🤣😂 Now that I’m done babysitting in the afternoons, I can cook more extravagant meals.
But this whole experience brought me back to trying to make meals with the twins and Toots. It was dang near impossible until I figured a few things out! 🤣🤣
So, without further ado, here’s everything I learned about cooking with kids back then! (I’ll do another post on how to keep your kids busy while you cook!)
1. Plan ahead
One way to make cooking with kids stress-free is to plan ahead.
Involve your child in selecting the recipe and create a shopping list together. That’s what we do with our “meal plan wish list”! The kids add a meal to our white board any time they are craving it.
Just this morning Boo told me he wants pancakes. On the board it goes!
I keep my wish list up all the time and pull from it every time we plan meals. We do our planning on Sunday night or Monday morning.
Choose recipes that are easy to execute and do not require too many steps.
Breakdown the steps into smaller tasks that your child can easily handle. This will make the process less overwhelming and more engaging for your little one.
2. Create a safe environment
One of the hazards of cooking is cuts and burns, which can be scary for little ones.
I caught myself leaving knives all over the kitchen last night! So not used to having to worry about a little one.
And my son had to constantly be on his tail and guard the stove. Because my huge pot was right at his level. He’s too curious! He’d have easily burned himself.
My daughter-in-law doesn’t even use the first two burners right now. Too dangerous.
To avoid any injuries, keep your kitchen baby proofed.
Make sure all knives and kitchen utensils are out of reach. All burners are turned off. And all drawers and cupboards have child safe latches on them.
Create a safe environment for your child to work in.
A sturdy step-stool or chair can be used to lift them to a comfortable height.
And make sure you always supervise your child while they are using knives, stoves, ovens, or other hot equipment.
3. Give them room to explore
Cooking with little ones is a great opportunity for them to explore different textures, colors, and smells.
Encourage them to touch, smell, and taste different ingredients.
Engage them in conversations about the food they are cooking and where it comes from. Let them mix, measure, pour, and stir.
As they experiment, they learn and build self-confidence.
My kids always cook and bake with me. In fact, I plan on making fall cookies this weekend. So, I considered inviting my grandson over too! He just loves cookies. 😁😁 His daddy thought we should wait until he’s just a bit bigger though.
4. Allow room for errors
Cooking with kids can be messy and sometimes it isn’t going to go according to the plan. Let them experience making mistakes as it is a natural part of the learning process.
Encourage your child to think creatively and brainstorm ideas to fix the error.
Don’t be afraid to get messy.
A couple of weeks ago, Ali-Man was helping me bake. He cracked the eggs, while I was busy doing something else. And all of a sudden I hear, “Uh, I missed.”😆
I turned around to find egg dripping down the dishwasher and piling on the floor. 😂😂
There’s a time when that would have drove me absolutely nuts!! But now I just laugh.
Getting messy is part of the fun and joy of cooking with little ones!
5. Make it fun
Above all else, remember to make it a fun experience for you and your little one. Cooking together can create bonding time, unlock creativity, and make memories that will last a lifetime.
My favorite memories revolve around cooking and eating with these boys.
It’s true what they say – the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! 😆
And little boys are no different.
I loved having everyone home last night for one of their favorite meals. Even if it was total chaos. 💕
Encourage your child to dance, sing, and laugh as you cook. Don’t forget to take pictures together and make a scrapbook of your culinary adventures!
Someday you’ll look back at it and love it.
Cooking with little ones can be a fun, educational, and bonding experience for the whole family.
By following the tips above, you can make cooking with your child less overwhelming and more enjoyable. Involve your child in the process, create a safe and enjoyable environment, and let them explore their creativity.
It’s sure to be a joyful experience that your family will cherish for years to come.
