Cooking with kids teaches healthy eating, life skills and more

To raise adventurous, self-sufficient and health-conscious eaters, get kids in the kitchen. It may sound too simple, but those are just a few of the benefits when kids learn to cook. Cooking builds life skills, promotes healthy eating, boosts confidence and strengthens family bonds—all while making mealtime fun. “It helps to think of it as less of a chore and more of an opportunity to be together as a family,” said Jessica Battilana, staff editor at King Arthur Baking Company, which offers adult and children’s cooking classes. The food doesn’t need to be fancy, and it doesn’t all have to be homemade. “The investment parents make early on to encourage their kids to participate in mealtime will pay dividends later, when they’re able to handle kitchen tasks independently,” Battilana said. “It can feel special to kids to be included in an adult activity,” said Cristi Donoso, 38, from Alexandria, Virginia. Donoso is a speech therapist and encourages her clients to cook with their kids in age-appropriate ways. She's also the mother to a 5-year-old, who has been baking with her since toddlerhood. “There’s a lot of real-world learning involved,” Donoso said: math concepts, language skills and self-control. Kids learn by reading and following a step-by-step recipe. It takes concentration and other executive functioning skills. They also learn how to be safe in a kitchen, requiring self-control. Exposure and sensory experience with food help kids become well-rounded eaters, she said. “Your food experience isn’t just about sitting down to eat. It’s about making a list, going to the store, and feeling the fruit," she said. Childhood obesity rates have been rising for decades, and studies have shown a positive correlation between healthy eating and home cooking, which can be a good alternative to ultraprocessed foods. Jennifer Schittino, a Maryland-based working mom of two young children, wants to help them shape healthier habits for the future. “It’s both healthier and cheaper to cook from scratch," she said. She also wants her children to "understand the fundamentals so they can make healthy and nutritious meals on a limited budget.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.