Listen in as Dr. Mark and Anisa share strategies they're using to foster a love for cooking in their child. They share tips about age-appropriate ways to engage your children in the kitchen, from babyhood to teenage years
Why is it important to get kids in the kitchen?
build a relationship with food (farm to table)
understand our world/ecology (circle of life)
understand “real food” and the work it takes to make “convenience foods"
Feel a sense of responsibility and family roles without them "feeling like a chore"
Know how to keep themselves healthy with real food when they are on their own.
Tips for keeping them engaged:
Developmentally appropriate ways to engage
Give them ownership and a voice
Involve them in the process from “farm/market to table"
What are some developmentally appropriate ways to engage kids?
baby: engage all the senses, baby wear, smell, taste, watch, touch. food is fun and explore!
toddler: learning tower, give easy tasks that give them confidence: cutting mushrooms with dull knife, peeling garlic, filling cups and pouring/dumping into a large bowl, stirring the pan, retrieving ingredients
young kids:
let them take ownership
give them a say “what spices would you like to put with our eggs?”
practice measurements and counting
flavor combinations (ex. how does this taste when you combine it with that spice?
Do you like it?", observe the interesting pieces (ex. “Do you see how the mixture thickens when you whip the oil into the water? That’s called emulsification”)
teens:
don’t do it all for them thinking that you’re helping them.
Observe their passions and give them responsibilities that they enjoy and won’t feel pressured into doing. (ex. “I see you enjoy eating… do you want to prepare that next time? I can help if you have questions."
Use math and more advanced science concepts. (ex.I see you enjoy the kale chips when they’re more crispy, do you want to see how to make them the crispiest? the maillard reaction- test what gets crispy and what doesn’t at different temperatures and moisture levels)
Tips to build a healthy relationship with food:
🍽 Eat nourishing foods as a family.
🍽 Expose them to a variety of flavors, textures and cuisines.
🍽 Don’t make a big deal about it, it’s only a big deal if you make it a big deal (meaning: don’t pressure choosing one food over another).
🍽 Let them listen to their bodies when they need to stop #intuitiveeating (no more: “just one more bite!”)
🍽 Leave rewards/punishments out of it (no more: if you eat your “...” you can have “...”).
🍽 Reflect what you’re seeing without placing judgement (“I noticed you ate most of your salmon and chose not to eat the cauliflower. Are you still hungry for cauliflower or would you like more salmon?”)
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