Kids cooking

[knitlove]

Looking ahead at the school year I am going to need to not be personally making all the food we consume.

I am hoping to off load lunches some days, maybe having each girl incharge of everyones lunch one day a week, maybe dh as well.


Right now wiggle worm, who is 8, is fairly confident in the kitchen - she came in this morning to wake me up because she couldn't reach the pans, not because she didn't feel like she could just cook breakfast when I slept in.

Early bird, who is 12, is much much less confident. She refused to help and doesn't know where anything is.

What do your kids cook?

Any advice on how to make this shift?

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[forty-two]

My kids are in charge of getting their own breakfast and lunch, and have been for a long while. We don't have a habit of actually cooking for either of those meals, so initially they took it over as soon as they were capable of getting out their yogurts (breakfast) or making themselves a sandwich (lunch).

But now they can do several simple cooking things as well. First they learned to use the microwave, toaster, and the George Foreman grill; that meant they could heat up their own leftovers and make their own grilled cheese or quesadillas, as well as make their own toast.

Dd15 decided against yogurt for breakfast years ago (and we don't do cold cereal), so she learned to make eggs ~12; dd12 learned to make eggs a year or so ago; ds10 can do it with help from his sisters.

Both girls can also make pasta on the stove; dd12 in particular often makes a single-serving of noodles, adding olive oil, italian seasoning and cheese to it. (IDK if ds10 can make noodles on his own, but he can doctor up plain noodles on his own.) Both girls can also make boxed mac & cheese on their own.

We also have a single-serve mini waffle maker that the kids can use to make chaffles (mix one egg with a half-cup of mozzarella cheese - makes two mini chaffles - cook each one for ~2 min - seriously tastes like a waffle, but even if it didn't, cheese and egg are awesome on their own). They all can do this, even ds10 has been able to do it for over a year.

They are all capable of using sharp knives unsupervised.

Dd15 can make rice in the instant pot.

(The girls can also make quickie one-serving homemade pudding in the microwave, but that's not as relevant .)

We've been working on developing more advanced kitchen skills by having them take turns helping dh (the main cook) with dinner ("daddy's kitchen helper").

[2sunshines]

My children and husband are all responsible for their own breakfasts and lunches, apart from a special occassion where we may do a big special breakfast or something... My kids are obviously older than yours but at 8 and 12, if you desire to move this direction, it's absolutely reasonable for the kids to be able to do this for themselves. Or if you'd prefer, having them switch off and one make breakfast for them both and the other lunch for them both. That'd be the easiest if they both prefer to eat the same foods.

I just make sure that I have on hand a good selection of breakfast and lunch meals, and then taught each child over time how to do some basic cooking. Breakfasts tend to be eggs, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, toast. Sometimes one of the older kids will make pancakes, waffles, or french toast.

Lunches are often dinner leftovers, sandwiches, pasta, quesadillas, chicken and veggie skillet, etc.

The nice thing about this method is that if a child is resistant to learning how to cook, or resistant in actually taking over cooking, hunger will turn that around very quickly.

Often the kids will work together -- as in if one is making something they'll ask if anyone else wants it and make enough for whoever. Sometimes they all just make their own different thing.

Your kids may or may not yet have all those baking cooking skills, but if not then this is a good time to be intentional to teach them so that they can do their own breakfasts and lunches. I still have to work on a few of those skills with my youngest (12).

We always do a big main dinner together as a family. For the most part I do all the prep for this but have been working towards having the kids take over, more for building of their skills. My goal is to have each child plan and prepare dinner for the family weekly.

NOW. That's just what WE do. It may or may not be the best fit for your family. I'm definitely not advocating it as the ideal way.

If you prefer to keep the family eating together or the same things for breakfasts and lunches, I do think it's very reasonable at 8 and 12 to assign that meal prep to the children.

The basic skills I'd start by making sure my kids can do:

toast
reheat leftovers (microwave makes that easy, we don't have one so they kids do it either in air fryer or oven)
basic skillet cooking - eggs, learn how to make batter and cook pancakes, french toast, grilled cheese, quesadillas
stove top cooking - boil pasta, oatmeal, cream of wheat
We also have a waffle maker so the kids know how to use this with batter
sandwiches

Obviously as they get older they can add in more skills, but this is a good basis to start to give them a broad selection of breakfast and lunch meal options.

[AlishaRose]

My oldest two (14 and 11) make dinner for the family once a week. Last time they made baked salmon with creamed leek and potatoes. It’s as much an exercise in team work as it is in cooking!

They could probably make anything from a recipe book, baking and cooking, but I like to teach them to taste and correct, to know when meat or a cake or bread is cooked. I get them to smell the herbs and spices, taste the food, see if it needs more seasoning, a dash of pepper, some more of a particular herb. My Mum did this with me and I think it’s a great way to teach. They watch me in the kitchen all the time.

Living where we do I have to make pretty much everything from scratch, so it’s great when the children help to bake the bread, make a snack or make the dinner. They even help me make the butter each fortnight. But it’s been a great experience for all in knowing how to make many things from raw, healthy ingredients.

[rdsmommy]

We do similar to others who have posted. My kids learned to make oatmeal in the microwave, eggs, toast, cereal ect for breakfast. They would make sandwiches or frozen burritos at that age also. Dd liked cooking more so she tended to learn things sooner than ds even though she is two years younger.

I can’t remember exact ages but after they learned the above mentioned things they started making Mac and cheese and other types of pasta in single or double servings so I didn’t have to worry about them accidentally burning themselves with the boiling water. I was hesitant to let dd use the oven so that was the last thing. I would say she was using it by the time she was 12 though, before that we had a small toaster oven she used for cookies sometimes. I made her oven mitts to use on both hands when she was little and she kept on using them as she got older and started using the regular oven. She has been able to cook from a recipe since about 11 or 12.

[MamaMansa]

We’ve always done similar to what others have posted. Kids here have been responsible for their own breakfasts and lunches since they were little. I always ask what kinds of things they want and make sure ingredients are here. We do a lot of low-prep for those meals, though…cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, muffins that I make ahead and freeze, eggs...

My youngest (17) is the only child that had any desire to learn how to cook actual meals. She can make more things than my older kids combined.

We’ve tried assigning dinners to kids in the past, but all three of my kids have had crazy extra-curricular schedules and it was always just easier for me to delegate breakfast and lunch and do dinners myself.

[Close2MyHeart]

We're another family where everyone takes care of their own bfast and lunch (except for the 8 and 6 y/0s because they have no self control and would go crazy)...

Hubby is the main chef in the house and he does most of the dinner cooking. He does get the kids to help him out quite often, but he's the one who does it most.

[knitlove]

Originally Posted by AlishaRose

My oldest two (14 and 11) make dinner for the family once a week. Last time they made baked salmon with creamed leek and potatoes. It’s as much an exercise in team work as it is in cooking!



They could probably make anything from a recipe book, baking and cooking, but I like to teach them to taste and correct, to know when meat or a cake or bread is cooked. I get them to smell the herbs and spices, taste the food, see if it needs more seasoning, a dash of pepper, some more of a particular herb. My Mum did this with me and I think it’s a great way to teach. They watch me in the kitchen all the time.



Living where we do I have to make pretty much everything from scratch, so it’s great when the children help to bake the bread, make a snack or make the dinner. They even help me make the butter each fortnight. But it’s been a great experience for all in knowing how to make many things from raw, healthy ingredients.

I think part of the reason I haven't delighted more is that because of allergies and budget most of the typical kids cook aren't things we can do. And we don't have a microwave or toaster oven ( we don't have the power in the kitchen for me to want to buy either - I don't think the circuitry could handle it)

Sandwiches aren't an always easy thing if we have to make certain we have made bread first.

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[MaybeGracie]

My kids are also in charge of their own breakfast and lunch. The oldest four (14, 11, 8, 6) are all comfortable using the stove for boiling and frying. They make eggs, oatmeal, quesadillas, grilled cheese, pasta, rice, rice pudding, chia pudding, sandwiches, etc.

I've tried a couple of times to have my oldest take over one dinner a week, but it never lasts very long for one reason or another. We've had much more success with having them assist me instead. The oldest three or four of them each get tasked a meal-prep job each evening. They are all comfortable with knife skills, measuring, stirring, etc. It helps move meal prep along much faster and works better for us than having them do a full meal on their own, although that is where I'd like us to end up eventually.

[2sunshines]

Originally Posted by knitlove

I think part of the reason I haven't delighted more is that because of allergies and budget most of the typical kids cook aren't things we can do. And we don't have a microwave or toaster oven ( we don't have the power in the kitchen for me to want to buy either - I don't think the circuitry could handle it)

Sandwiches aren't an always easy thing if we have to make certain we have made bread first.

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Yea, the dietary restrictions certainly makes that harder. My daughter is gluten free and she's had to learn other skills in meal prep. I think the burden of ensuring kids can make their own meals when they have allergies and dietary restrictions is even more important since whatever they do in life they'll often have to make their own meals. That said, yours are still very young so you do have lots of time. But it's definitely something that I'd have as a longer term goal.

We also don't have a microwave or a toaster oven so I feel you there. Those items sure make quick meal prep easier. We purposely chose to not have a microwave so we won't ever be getting one.

What I'd recommend if I were you is this. If your goal is to eventually have the kids take over breakfasts and lunches, I'd start by making a list of all the potential options for breakfasts and lunches. What do you make for them now? What are some other easy ideas they can add to their breakfasts and lunches that are super convenient for them to do alone? Then start working through some of the easier ones teaching them to take on those skills alone. You may not be at the place of them doing their own breakfasts and lunches yet but if you make it your purposeful goal to work to get there, it could come fairly quickly.

[twoplustwo]

Basically what everyone has said. My kids are both teens so they can make a variety of meals and I always try to have staples on hand. Ds is more likley to cook than dd. dd will usually just make herself a sandwich or wrap rather than cook.

Originally Posted by MaybeGracie

I've tried a couple of times to have my oldest take over one dinner a week, but it never lasts very long for one reason or another.

We have failed in this regard too, I dont know why. Maybe too much coordinating. But sometimes one, esp ds, will make it for the family on the fly. He doesnt like cold foods as much so more likely to cook for himself and Ill say - if you are making pasta and chicken, please make enough for all of us for dinner.

[knitlove]

I think I mainly want the girls to take over lunch.

Breakfast has always been the main meal that early bird would eat ( even more so now that she is on ADD meds) so our normal breakfasts are much more than many people special weekend breakfasts. We also generally all sit down together for breakfast. There is always Eggs, sausage, hash browns( for early bird), fruit, and then one of the 'breakfast deserts' as my children call it : toast, cereal, bagels, biscuits, fruit chrisp, waffles or pancakes. Early bird is super slow to wake up and if I tried to hand breakfast off to her then she wouldn't get her meds taken untill after 9.

More than half of the time all 4 of us also sit down and eat lunch together - some of the time we take lunch in to dh who eats at his desk while working. Which is why I was thinking if handing responsibility for lunch over to some one for the day, rather than everyone fend for them selves. Our kitchen is small and if everyone is going to be doing there own thing then we would have to stagger eating because you can't really preap more than one thing.

I forget how vastly different the structure of our days are to most of the universe.

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[rdsmommy]

Originally Posted by knitlove

I think I mainly want the girls to take over lunch.

Breakfast has always been the main meal that early bird would eat ( even more so now that she is on ADD meds) so our normal breakfasts are much more than many people special weekend breakfasts. We also generally all sit down together for breakfast. There is always Eggs, sausage, hash browns( for early bird), fruit, and then one of the 'breakfast deserts' as my children call it : toast, cereal, bagels, biscuits, fruit chrisp, waffles or pancakes. Early bird is super slow to wake up and if I tried to hand breakfast off to her then she wouldn't get her meds taken untill after 9.

More than half of the time all 4 of us also sit down and eat lunch together - some of the time we take lunch in to dh who eats at his desk while working. Which is why I was thinking if handing responsibility for lunch over to some one for the day, rather than everyone fend for them selves. Our kitchen is small and if everyone is going to be doing there own thing then we would have to stagger eating because you can't really preap more than one thing.

I forget how vastly different the structure of our days are to most of the universe.

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Our main meal has always been lunch. So I handed off dinner as a fend for yourself meal rather than lunch. Maybe that’s an option.

My dc decided to become vegetarians last year so they often make both lunch and dinner for themselves but I will make them something for lunch every once in a while but hardly ever dinner. They also know that dh has to eat lunch at 12:15 since he comes home for lunch at that time. They either make their lunch before or after unless I make something in the oven and the kitchen is free.

---------- Post added at 02:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------

Or maybe lunch could be cold finger foods. I’m not sure what allergies you have but I was thinking nuts, fruit, cheese, cold chicken, carrot sticks, salad ect.

[2sunshines]

Originally Posted by knitlove

I think I mainly want the girls to take over lunch.

Breakfast has always been the main meal that early bird would eat ( even more so now that she is on ADD meds) so our normal breakfasts are much more than many people special weekend breakfasts. We also generally all sit down together for breakfast. There is always Eggs, sausage, hash browns( for early bird), fruit, and then one of the 'breakfast deserts' as my children call it : toast, cereal, bagels, biscuits, fruit chrisp, waffles or pancakes. Early bird is super slow to wake up and if I tried to hand breakfast off to her then she wouldn't get her meds taken untill after 9.

More than half of the time all 4 of us also sit down and eat lunch together - some of the time we take lunch in to dh who eats at his desk while working. Which is why I was thinking if handing responsibility for lunch over to some one for the day, rather than everyone fend for them selves. Our kitchen is small and if everyone is going to be doing there own thing then we would have to stagger eating because you can't really preap more than one thing.

I forget how vastly different the structure of our days are to most of the universe.

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I think your routine is absolutely lovely and something that I would work hard to maintain as long as you can. We are at such different stages in our lives, as half my children are now young adults, and you typing that up reminded me how much I cherished that when my kids were your kids ages we'd have breakfast lunch and dinner all together as a family. Keep that up as long as you can. You're building precious memories.

As my kids have aged and we've added in the chaotic mix of school schedules, work schedules, etc., we still daily eat dinner as an entire family and even that I realize is rare for our culture, but one that I'm holding on fast as long as I can.

I agree with your goal of having the kids take over some of the lunch prep. Perhaps if you made up a list of several "lunch menu ideas" and have the kids choose what they'd like to prepare and assign them to what day they'll prepare it.