Spending time with your children preparing food offers the chance to bond, all the while being creative. Both the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association suggest that getting kids involved with grocery shopping and food prep can reduce picky eating. If you are looking for ways to get your children involved in the kitchen, here is a break down of great ideas for every age. 

Cooking with Kiddos Under Three

The first step to cooking with little ones is setting up a safe cooking environment. Once you’ve put away to sharp, hot, heavy, or otherwise hazardous items, you’re ready. Cooking with children this age is an opportunity to teach your child about food and familiarise them with the kitchen environment.

Here are some activities very young children will enjoy:

• Washing vegetables – this is a great way of teaching them the names of vegetables and sparking an interest which will hopefully encourage them to try different foods
• Stirring ingredients – they should be at room temperature
• Spooning ingredients into scales or measuring cups – you’ll need to help!

Another way to keep young children occupied is to give them plastic containers and utensils to wash in the sink – this can provide lengthy entertainment while you cook.

Cooking with Preschoolers

Children in this age range are often able to follow multi-step directions and have increased motor skills, but trust your knowledge of your child as skills can still vary greatly at this age. Pick recipes you know that you and your child can complete safely. 5 to 10 minutes might be all your child wants to spend on an activity. Start small and keep it fun.

Here are some activities preschool-aged children will enjoy:

• Cutting soft ingredients e.g. butter, mushrooms, strawberries using a strong plastic knife
• Breading and flouring – you can set up three stations with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs for fish sticks
• Tearing and squashing – tearing herbs and lettuce or squashing fruit
• Kneading – light kneading can be fun but you’ll need to step in to complete the task
• Rolling, shaping and cutting dough
• Adding ingredients into the bowl

Cooking with 6-8 Year Olds

Most children in this age range have developed fine motor skills, so they can handle more detailed work, but they will still need food safety reminders. Some children in this age-range will have the skills and control needed to carefully flip hot pancakes, while many others might not be there yet. Trust your judgement.

Here are some of the activities elementary-aged children will enjoy:

• Use a peeler to peel raw potatoes, ginger, mangoes and other washed fruits and vegetables.
• Break eggs into a bowl and remember to wash hands afterwards.
• Load the dishwasher.
• Shuck corn and rinse before cooking.
• Rinse and cut herbs with clean, blunt kitchen scissors.

Cooking with 9-12 Year Olds

There is a wide range of skills in this age group, so tailor your tasks to each individual’s maturity level. Many children of this age can work independently in the kitchen, but should still have adult supervision. Before letting these kids do grown-up tasks on their own, assess whether they can follow basic kitchen rules such as adjusting pan handles over counters to avoid bumping into them, unplugging electrical appliances, using knives and safely using the oven or microwave.

Here are some age-appropriate activities that, with continued adult supervision, older children will enjoy:

• Put leftovers into containers and refrigerate them
• Crack and beat eggs
• Slice, grate, or chop fruits, vegetables, and cheeses
• Check the temperature of meat with a food thermometer – it’s like a science experiment!
• Boil pasta
• Follow a recipe, including reading each step in order and measuring ingredients accurately
• Simmer ingredients on the stove

Cooking together can be a fun way to teach your child valuable skills, promote good nutrition and make long-lasting memories in the process. 

I cannot tell you how many times I have offered a child a plate of fresh fruit or veggies to have the mother grab it from me and say, “Oh, he won’t eat that.” What that really means is, “I have conditioned my child not to eat that.”

Yes, kids can be picky eaters, but that does not mean that we need to condition them to only eat chicken nuggets, mac and cheese and PB&Js. I have two toddlers who have a mind of their own when it comes to food like the rest of the world. But I have found several super healthy snacks and foods that my kids inhale without a struggle. Here are 5 of our favorites:

1. Sweet potatoes – one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. And kids love anything “sweet”, right? When I’m in a rush, I nuke several large sweet potatoes in the microwave for 5-8 minutes. Then I sprinkle them lightly with organic brown sugar and a tad of cinnamon. My kids always ask for seconds – and the leftovers are packed in their school lunches the next day.
2. Kale chips (I stole this from Gwenyth Paltrow’s cookbook – thank you Gwenyth!). Kale is also one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It’s a leafy green found near the broccoli section in your grocery store. To make kale chips, wash the kale, tear the leafs off the stems in 2-3 inch chunks. Place on a cookie sheet, drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. And then you have a super healthy substitute to potato chips that can also be used on sandwiches in place of lettuce or mixed into scrambled eggs.
3. Milk shakes. Well, not the milk shakes you might be thinking of. Super healthy milk shakes look like this: Toss handfuls of any fruit into a blender (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, apples, watermelon, kiwi – anything!). Add milk and ice. Then blend. It’s that easy! In our house, when we ask the kids, “Who wants a milk shake?” we receive the unanimous shrieks, “MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”
4. Cucumber salad (I stole this one from my German mother-in-law). Cucumbers by themselves are easy for kids to enjoy. If you want super delicious cucumbers follow this recipe: Cut the cucumber in very fine slices. In a bowl, mix ¼ cup tasty vinegar, ¼ cup sour cream, salt, pepper, sugar and sprinkle with dill. Mix everything together and you have a yummy cucumber salad!
5. Carrot salad (Again, I stole this from my mother-in-law!). We have all eaten carrots with ranch dipping – but it’s important to have a variation of flavors to keep your kids coming back for more. Carrot salad recipe: Shred several carrots in a food processor then squeeze the juice from half of a lemon on the carrots. In a separate bowl, mix ¼ cup tasty vinegar, ¼ cup sour cream, a dash of olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar and sprinkle with parsley. Combine all ingredients. Enjoy!

Do you have a healthy snack or food idea you know kids will love? Post it in the Comment section below. Thanks for sharing!