The Importance of Teaching Your Children to Cook

Dear Andrew, Addison, Family and Friends;
I believe one of the most important things I taught my children was to
love and respect food, the people and the environment that brought
the food to our home. We hear so much about spending quality time
with our children, well here is one way to spend quality time with your
kids. Kids love to spend time with their parents and by combining
constructive lessons, exercise and conversation makes this time
quality time.

10 Reasons Why You Should Teach Your Children to Cook

1. Builds self-esteem in your child. When you spend one on one time
with your kids, it shows your kids that you love, value and respect
them, remember actions do speak louder than words!

2. Teach your children about nutrition and menu planning as well.
With 1 out of every 3 children in the U.S. being overweight, it is up to
families to teach our children about nutrition and exercise.

3. Calorie control and portion control. When you prepare meals from
home YOU are in control of the ingredients and how much your child
eats.

4. Take your kids to the grocery store and teach them how to shop.
Raising my children we always shopped the perimeter of the store
first, this is where all the healthier foods are located. Start in the
produce section, choose produce that are bright in colors, add variety
to your diet, try a new fruit or vegetable, show them the food labels on
packaged foods.

5. If you teach kids at an early age how to cook, they are more
inclined to cook as an adult.

6. Kids are more apt to eat foods that they have prepared.

7. Kids love to show off, let them share with the rest of the family how
they prepared the meal. They will feel like they are a major contributor
to the family.

8. Make a lesson out of how to cook. Go to a farmer’s market and
introduce your kids to the farmers who bring the food to the table. Pick

your own produce; check your local area for farms. Turn your cooking
lesson into a math or science experiment, bring out the measuring
cups!

9. Family meals together. Make your meal time, family time. Try to sit
down at the table at least one meal a day. Enjoy good conversation.

10.Make it a habit. Its quality time well spent and there is no
television, video games or computers to interfere with your time
together.

Enjoy your quality family time!
Kimberly Wechsler