Kidz in the Kitchen

Written by Naomi Moss

Such was the case when my husband and I awoke to a familiar aroma of hotcakes wafting through our house. We naturally jumped out of bed and sprinted for the stove. Once in the doorway, we saw the culprit. There, in front of the stove, was our 7-year-old son, spatula in hand, a pile of pancakes to his left. He felt like eating pancakes, so he had pulled the ready-made mix out of the cupboard, read the directions, and voilà! He had pancakes.

That was our first inclination that he would be a chef. From that moment on, his desire was to work at IHOP and make pancakes all day. Eventually, he grew out of that dream, but we still watch Hell’s Kitchen together!

Doesn’t everyone know a child, either their own or not, who enjoys cooking? It must be a magic place where simple jars and boxes and frozen red meat turns into a meal fit for a king. Well, at least a meal fit for a 6-year-old. After talking with a few parents and their children, I found that there are many budding chefs in our town who are more than willing to share the kitchen and their favorite recipes.

But why should parents encourage their children to cook? Sometimes, it’s just easier to do it yourself.

Most kitchens get crowded. But what do you do when you have children who want to help at the same time?

Emily Payne, mother of four, says, “We definitely have a schedule.” For an entire week, one child will help Emily with the preparation, cooking, setting and cleaning of the table, and filling the dishwasher after. It sounds like a lot of work but, “It’s Fun!” claims Graham Payne. The 9-year-old’s favorite kitchen assignments are “mixing, putting dishes on the table, and swallowing.”

Is there more to cooking in the kitchen than appears? Avtar Nijjer-Sidhu, Ph.D., works with the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROP) as a nutritionist. She comments, “Cooking with children instills healthy habits at a young age. It’s the whole concept of family time and habits. Not only is it family time and bonding, parents are introducing healthy behaviors. If children see their parents eating and cooking, they are learning the idea of healthy eating. It doesn’t come from fast food or even a restaurant that can have high sodium.”

Not every Payne family kitchen experience is centered around fun, although most experiences are. Emily explains, “Beyond the practical benefits of having help and getting things done, I want my children to know how to take care of themselves when they leave. They need to know how to prepare meals for their families.” In addition to the hands-on help, when Emily plans her weekly menu, the children are all around the table. “The kids get to input suggestions and ideas for the week.”

The whole family, including her husband, Alif, is in the process from start to finish. Now at age 10, Malachi is capable of preparing entire meals on his own and Graham can do so with instruction. Caris, at the young age of 5, already knows how to wield a knife in the kitchen, with mom’s supervision of course, and her favorite part of cooking is “putting things in a very, very, hot pot.”

Kara Combs also has a rotating kitchen schedule with her 10-year-old twins, Christian and Kaylyn, and 8-year-old Kendall. “It’s too overwhelming to have all three in the kitchen! But I do have more one-on-one bonding with them if they take turns.” While knives are mom’s job, Kara does allow measuring, pouring, stirring, and flipping. Even with small jobs, the kids are gaining confidence. “The older they get, the more I’m supervising and not stirring.”

And being a family that loves food (what family doesn’t?), the Combs will scour magazines for recipes. If one makes the cut, it goes into the family recipe book. “I have a photo book I use for recipes. If we don’t like it, we take it out, but we add to it all the time.” The kids love to go through it and see what they can make.

What else motivates moms to include children in the cooking? Cyndi Gover, mother of four, shares, “They ask!” Simple as that.

“I can’t say no. They are so eager to help. I am more prone to say yes when it’s something I make often.” Who would say no when your child wants to spend time with you? Even her 2-year-old jumps in to help. “Felicia will look at the recipe, watch me, copy me, and wait for instructions. She can’t do what the boys do, but she already helps me layer lasagna. She’ll wait for instructions, but Brandon, my 6-year-old, will jump in before I’m ready.” Often times, there’s so many eager hands, there’s not enough room for mom. But that’s just fine, too. Attention spans don’t last the entire preparation time.

Even if Cyndi says no to help in the kitchen, she will prepare meals that the children can assemble themselves. And they love it! Taco salads and baked potatoes are a regular at the Gover house. “Everyone can do it.” And the best part? Everyone eats their dinner with no complaining because it’s exactly how they want it! Even when kids are not directly involved in the kitchen preparation, they can still be an important part of the process.

Sometimes, you have to go with the flow. Children see themselves as miniature adults. Naturally, they like to be included in adult tasks such as cooking on the stove and making a family meal. But the joy parents see in the kitchen when a child gains confidence to read the next line, try the next step without help, or stir a concoction on the stove without injury, is worth every dropped spoon, floured face, and gooey finger.

Messes are a part of childhood and Nicole Lynch accepts it with fervor. “There’s always a mess in my kitchen. When my husband comes home and sees the mess, he knows I had help,” she says with a smile. Small children do not deter Nicole from including them in simple tasks. “They are always fetching for measuring cups or anything they can get. They’re great helpers. They get ingredients and anything out of the fridge.” Working with a 2- and 5-year-old in the kitchen can be tricky. Safety is a main concern, but with a watchful eye anyone can cook. “It’s just plain fun to have them in the kitchen. It makes them feel a part of it especially when they get to choose what to make.”

When Dylan Lynch, five, is in the kitchen, you can count on pancakes. His favorite part of making his favorite breakfast? “I like to crack eggs.” Obviously, there might be a little mess, but who cares when pancakes are on the line? Just don’t ask him to “turn stuff over.” That would be his least favorite thing to do in the kitchen. Nicole notes that he is a big helper to his little sister Taylor, too. “If she is stirring, Dylan will take over. But if we are making milkshakes, he lets Taylor choose the ice cream because he knows he’ll get to scoop it.” Makes perfect sense to let one child choose the flavor and the other scoop it out.

Cooking with kids can be a bit of a hassle when schedules are cramped. Kara says, “Kids are doing homework when I’m cooking dinner. Mostly they help with breakfast and lunch.” But the important thing is they still help. Nijjer-Sidhu points out, “Parents are teaching a skill that is slowly being lost. Food has become a convenience. Where Grandma made a pie from scratch, we can now go take one out of the box.” However, teaching children to enjoy different types of food enhances their palate. “Parents have an opportunity to introduce a variety of foods. If they don’t like broccoli, you can try it again a different way.”

There are more options when cooking at home. Kara comments, “They are more willing to try new things if they make it.”

There is no magic age at which to allow children in the kitchen. Nijjer-Sidhu allows her 16-month-old son to help her stir and use a ladle. The American Academy of Pediatrics has guidelines for introducing foods to babies, but once they start eating from the same kettle you are, the floodgates of flavor open for even the youngest of taste buds. Try a new recipe tonight and include your children in the preparation and cooking. They will clean their plate and be begging for more. Who knows, they might just kick you out of the kitchen one day. Our little pancake maker has grown into a teenager who will say, “Don’t worry mom, I’ve got this one.” Oh, the joy of cooking with kids!

Article appeared in our 26-1 Issue - April 2009