A study of 1,000 parents with children aged 2-10, found the majority agreed that getting their kids involved in the kitchen is important but four in ten struggled to do so
TV chef and presenter Briony May Williams has shared her top tips for getting children involved in the kitchen, emphasising that a bit of mess is all part of the fun. The semi-finalist from The Great British Bake Off highlighted the importance of including kids in every step of meal preparation.
This comes after a survey of 1,000 parents with children aged between 2 and 10 found that most believe involving their little ones in cooking is crucial. The majority felt it helps expand their child’s food knowledge and boosts their confidence through creativity in the kitchen. However, 42 per cent admitted they find it challenging to get their children engaged.
While cooking with her nine year old daughter Nora, Briony said: “Cooking with kids doesn’t have to be as stressful as it might seem, encourage them to get involved.”
She recommends taking regular breaks to keep the little ones (and yourself) stimulated, creating a fun playlist for some background tunes, and focusing on a theme. According to Briony, embracing mess when cooking with children is also important.
The sooner this happens the more relaxed adults will be, and everyone will enjoy the event more. “Let them get stuck in and if you’re worried about mess set up a specific place in the kitchen which children associate with making meals, a sturdy tablecloth will speed up the tidying at the end,” she said.
Briony teamed up with Herta, which commissioned the study, to create a hot dog inspired meal featuring hidden veg ‘ketchup’ and crispy carrot toppings.
“While social media makes parents feel pressured to make Instagram-able food art, don’t feel every meal has to be like this, a firm family favourite like hot dogs or pizza is a great starting point,” she added.
Key ways parents try to get kids to be more involved in the meal-prep process include letting them help choose what’s for dinner or turning the kitchen into a disco.
A third will try out new and unusual foods together, and a quarter swear by turning mealtimes into themed nights – like Taco Tuesdays, or ‘Breakfast for Dinner’.
Dr Angharad Rudkin, a child clinical psychologist, said: “Our relationship with food is a crucial foundation for our well-being throughout life. Giving our children the opportunity to get involved with cooking from a young age will help them feel grown up and capable.
Gemma Serdet, senior brand manager, for Herta which is offering a Try Me for Free offer until 4th August, said: “It’s not only fun to encourage children to get involved with cooking in the kitchen but clearly beneficial too.
“Letting children get hands-on with food isn’t just about fun, it’s a great way for them to explore textures, tastes and ingredients in a way that’s engaging and memorable.”
BRIONY’S TOP 10 TIPS TO GET KIDS INVOLVED IN THE KITCHEN:
Make them Head Chef
Involving kids in what you are making and giving them the chef hat really helps with engagement, you could even create a cute menu with them in breaks.
Expect mess
The sooner you understand that when in the kitchen with little ones that it will be MESSY, the more you’ll relax and enjoy.
Prep, prep, prep
Pre-weigh ingredients, set them all out in front of the kids so they get excited about what you’re doing. Kids can then just pick them up and pour them in – less food waste too.
Break time
Taking time in the kitchen is brilliant, but when cooking with little ones have regular breaks to keep them stimulated.
Find a theme
Get the kids to come up with a theme they want to explore when cooking, whether Mexican or Italian, to influence the dress code and décor as well as the food.
Create a playlist
Compile a cooking playlist with your child, fun upbeat songs which will make being in the kitchen even more fun.
Cooking corner
Set up a specific place in the kitchen for your cooking with the kids, if they’re too small to reach the worktops, move all the utensils and bowls to the dining table.
Food art
Don’t feel pressured to make every meal a piece of ‘art’ like you see on social media, but an easy option if you want to give it a go is a pizza face.
Keep it simple
Kids can’t concentrate on one thing for too long, to avoid them losing interest choose straightforward recipes.
Kid’s kit
Get them their own set of safe and easy to use utensils so they can really get involved in chopping and prepping.
