77% of respondents say they used to cook with their family at least once a week growing up, while 31% said they did so every single day, according to one survey that asked 2,000 Americans about their families’ cooking habits. While cooking together can be a fantastic way to bond as a family, doing so on a regular basis can bring a variety of other benefits to the table, too. From getting started with grocery shopping to how you can make kitchen safety anything but boring — and how a dash of creativity can help in the kitchen, here are just a few ways you can make cooking together as a family an enjoyable and fun experience.
Getting started
When looking to support healthy eating habits in your children, shopping for food together can be a great place to start, especially if your goal is to involve your children in the meal preparation/cooking process. This can give your child an exciting role, and can allow them to be involved with meal preparation from the very beginning. To make grocery shopping more enjoyable, VeryWell Family notes that there are a variety of activities that you can try, like challenging your kids to a grocery store scavenger hunt to make the mundane task of grocery shopping more fun through a game-like experience. Of course, it’s recommended to modify the activities accordingly, which can help in teaching various skills as your kids age. For example, VeryWell Family suggests modifying the grocery store scavenger hunt activity by challenging a two year old child to find items that match colors in the store, and challenging an older child (6+) to find foods based on food groups.
Kitchen safety doesn’t have to be boring
Inviting your children into the kitchen to help prepare a meal can sound intimidating, especially when it comes to younger children and the presence of dangerous kitchen tools like knives, breakable cookware, and appliances. VeryWell Family notes that delegating tasks based on age is one way to introduce basic kitchen safety, which will allow your kids to advance their kitchen skills as they get older. If you have more than one child, this can be a great way to delegate different recipe tasks while involving everyone. For example, while children aged two to five can help with basic tasks like washing vegetables and tearing lettuce, children aged six and older can focus on tasks like using a paring knife (with supervision) to cut certain foods.
Simply having the right kid-friendly supplies on hand can also make for a safer kitchen environment, and can make for a fun addition to your at-home cooking routine, too. From non-slip bowls to knives with finger guards, even miniature versions of regular-sized kitchen tools can make for a safer way to get your child involved in various aspects of the cooking process. Not only will your child enjoy having their very own cooking tools, but they’ll be able to properly handle the supplies, thus making for less frustration and fewer spills, drops, and breaks. With their own tools, your child will look forward to taking part in creating a culinary masterpiece alongside mom and dad — getting them their own apron can only make cooking that much more exciting, and will allow them to feel like a professional chef all the while keeping their clothes clean.
A dash of creativity
Getting your children their very own cooking tools is just one way to make cooking more fun, though there are additional ways that you can make the process of cooking a meal even more enjoyable. While letting your child pick the food is one way to give them some say in the matter, opting for fun and interactive recipes that differ from your standard dinners can introduce them to something new. Whether it’s homemade burgers or tacos with a variety of toppings, a stir-fry with veggies chosen by your child, or pasta with more than one sauce, customizable foods will give your child plenty of choices while (subtly) encouraging them to explore new ingredients. Dressing up food so that it resembles a character or animal (such as the famed spaghetti and hot dog octopus), or even making a colorful meal are additional ways to make a creative yet tasty dish that the whole family is sure to enjoy making.
Cooking together as a family can be a great way to support healthy eating while spending quality time together. When looking to make the experience more appealing, investing in kid-friendly cooking tools, getting creative with meal preparation, and giving your child plenty of options are just a few ways to make the experience one to remember.
The Urban Woman Magazine Editorial Team is made up of seasoned writers and editors who have a keen eye for detail and a passion for all things urban. We strive to create fresh, original content that appeals to the modern woman. Our mission is to provide a platform for women to share their stories, experiences and opinions on various issues affecting their lives.
