Kids in the Kitchen

By Sophie

It is the most wonderful time of the year, the holiday season! This season is perfect for families to spend quality time together and enjoy family meals. Eating meals together as a family can be an important way to foster a sense of attachment and connection. But did you know cooking could strengthen family bonding as well? Now, let's get our kids involved in the kitchen.  Cooking with children can be educational, meaningful, and enjoyable. In addition, it is an efficient way of fostering healthy habits that will bring lifelong benefits.  ​

Benefits of cooking with kids 

• Motor skills: Children learn to understand and engage with their environment through their five senses. The five sensory learning methods are touching, tasting, seeing, feeling, and listening. Meal prepping involves various tasks to help kids develop their motor skills, such as stirring, chopping, and using small utensils. Kids use their hands to handle the ingredients and kitchen tools throughout the cooking process, which can help them improve their hand-eye coordination.  
  
• Creativity: Cooking is a great way to inspire our kids' creativity. They have the freedom to make decisions about what ingredients to use and how to prepare them, which provides opportunities for self-expression. Also, they can have fun creating and coming up with new ideas and flavors. They will be more interactive and more open-minded to accept different types of food groups.   
  
• Family bonding: Having kids in the kitchen can be a great way to enhance family bonding and create special memories together. The kitchen filled with yummy food smells provides a cozy environment for parents and children to have meaningful conversations that might not happen throughout the day. During meal preparation, parents have a better chance to teach, listen, and connect with their kids.  
  
• Communication skills: Making meals together can help children develop their communication skills and the values of teamwork. If they have siblings, they have the potential to build stronger connections through practicing partnership. It is a perfect moment to discuss nutritional values and food choices. Moreover, it is the best way to start a conversation about the importance and benefits of "eating the rainbow."  
  

• Eating the Rainbow: We always want our children to have a balanced diet and to "eat the rainbow." Eating a rainbow refers to consuming a variety of pigmentation of different fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables gives our body energy, promotes gut health, and a stronger immune system. It also helps our children to grow and develop properly. However, it is a challenging process and requires a lot of patience. Therefore, having the kids help in the kitchen early on in life will encourage them to accept more food groups. With the given opportunities, parents can have early discussions with their children about foods; which will build a positive relationship with foods and are motivated to choose healthy options.  
  

 
Here's a fun recipe to try at home: Rainbow Pasta Salad 

• Ingredients: 
  

• 1 lb whole grains rotini, cooked and cooled   
  

• ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, chopped in dice 
  
• 1 orange sweet bell pepper, chopped in dice 
  
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple 
  
• ½ cup of purple cabbage, julienne style  
  
• 1 cup of broccoli, cooked, cut into dice  
  

• 1 cup of tofu, cut into cubes 
  

• Instructions: 
  

• Cook the pasta and put it in the fridge. Allow cooling  
  
• Wash and cut all the vegetables, tofu, and pineapple 
  
• Combine all the mixing bowl 
  

• Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste 
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
  
• Taste and adjust before serving