Read through the recipe together. If one of your
kids is old enough, have him or her read it out
loud. Go through all the ingredients to make
sure you have everything, pulling them out of the cup-
boards and refrigerator as you go. This is a good process
for
Before you go to the market, talk with your
kids about what they want to make, then work
together to jot down a list of the vegetables and
fruits you need. When you’re at the market, ask them to be
on the lookout for the items on the list. If a child doesn’t
like an ingredient in the recipe, discuss what might make
a good substitution. Don’t like walnuts? Try pecans. Don’t
like peaches? Substitute plums. Here is the chance to think
about how to make the recipe a good fit for the whole family.
2.
Talk to your kids about safety and cleanliness. Let
them know that they need to be careful around
sharp knives, hot pans, and electrical appliances.
Stress the importance of always washing hands with warm
water and soap before they touch food; rinsing fruits and
vegetables well before using them; and cleaning up spills,
work surfaces, and tools as they go along. We like to wear
aprons to keep our clothes clean and to make it official that
we are cooking.
3.
Read through the recipe together. If one of your
kids is old enough, have him or her read it out
loud. Go through all the ingredients to make
sure you have everything, pulling them out of the cup-
boards and refrigerator as you go. This is a good process
for any cook and is a good habit to start young. (How many
times have you stopped halfway through a recipe because
you don’t have eggs, for instance, or the right pan?) An
older child can set up the ingredients in the order they are
used in the recipe.
4.
Set up a good workspace. Make sure that it is
not too high and that it is big enough so every-
one can work comfortably. A kitchen table is
often ideal. Or you may need to put a chair or two—they
should be sturdy and the seats perfectly flat—next to a
counter for little ones to stand on.
5.
Prepare the ingredients ahead of time. Chop,
slice, or shave ingredients before you start mak-
ing the recipe. Determine who should do each
task. Your kids can help measure liquids and dry ingredients
like flour. Or, for example, they can shell beans while you
chop onions.
6.
Know what your kids can do alone or with
minimal help. Generally, older kids can chop, stir
ingredients as they cook in a pan, and put pans
in the oven. Younger kids like to measure sugar and flour,
crack eggs, stir batter, shell beans, and pick through berries
to look for rotten fruit. Check the “Kids Can” section in each
recipe for the tasks that most kids can perform. You can
give even the youngest child an ingredient and a safe tool—
a small bowl of flour and a measuring spoon, a banana and
a plastic knife—to play with while you do the work.
.7
Know what you don’t want your kids to do.
Using sharp knives, pulling hot pans out of the
oven, cutting corn kernels off the cob, running
the food processor—these are the kinds of tasks that you
may want to handle yourself. A little helper can hold a mixer
or push the button on a food processor by putting his or
her hand over yours. Take your time ceding tasks to your
kids until you feel confident of their skill level.
8.
Be sure to have something for kids to nibble on.
Baking an apple pie? Slice up an extra apple.
Mixing a batch of blackberry jam? Buy an extra
basket for snacking.
9.
Praise often, be patient, and don’t let messes
upset you. If a mistake is made, don’t worry.
A cake batter whipped up with salt instead of
sugar can be turned into an amusing family story.
10.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!