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What age to teach children to cook?
Posted on 6/5/15 at 10:31 am
Posted on 6/5/15 at 10:31 am
I was 9 when I watched my dad make gumbo. He didn't want me to help..just watch him. When I was a young adult I could make gumbo without any recipes because I remembered what my dad did.
My grandson is coming to spend the weekend. He's 7. Is that too young to expect him to absorb the technique? If so, should I allow him to help (obviously no knives).
I didn't show my son how to cook Cajun food when he was young and he still doesn't know how.
My grandson is coming to spend the weekend. He's 7. Is that too young to expect him to absorb the technique? If so, should I allow him to help (obviously no knives).
I didn't show my son how to cook Cajun food when he was young and he still doesn't know how.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 10:34 am to Zach
Actually cook? As in on their own?
Or just help out?
My son started helping mix ingredients at around 20 months. I've also let him stir the scrambled eggs a bit while they were cooking, but he lost interest real quick.
Or just help out?
My son started helping mix ingredients at around 20 months. I've also let him stir the scrambled eggs a bit while they were cooking, but he lost interest real quick.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 10:34 am to Zach
Why wouldn't you allow them to help you cook? Age really doesn't matter in my opinion, sometimes it's just about spending quality time with your kids and grandkids. Don't worry about how much they may or may not absorb, just have a good time with them.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 10:53 am to TorNation
quote:
Why wouldn't you allow them to help you cook?
Gumbo is pretty complicated. I guess he could help by stirring the Roux. But I'm not gonna give him the knife and say 'chop up this onion.'
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:17 am to Zach
1. As soon as they are able to understand the "dangers", i.e. the heat and the sharpness of the utensils.
2. Once they WANT to learn. That can be encouraged though. I think its important for kids to learn to cook. I learned watching my great grandmother and then practiced it as hunting/fishing camps. I'm not a great cook, but I can make a mean gumbo and rice and gravy. My son is starting to get interested so I call him into the kitchen every time I start. Sometimes he helps, sometimes he does his kid thing.
2. Once they WANT to learn. That can be encouraged though. I think its important for kids to learn to cook. I learned watching my great grandmother and then practiced it as hunting/fishing camps. I'm not a great cook, but I can make a mean gumbo and rice and gravy. My son is starting to get interested so I call him into the kitchen every time I start. Sometimes he helps, sometimes he does his kid thing.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:38 am to Boudreaux35
My wife has leg my daughter "help" several times when making baked goods. All of the danger of heat and utensils is pretty much non-existent. I still don't know which one makes the bigger mess with the mixer though. And my girl can operate the toaster and microwave, but 7 may be a little young to be helping on the stove. If I have to drag a stool or chair over, then she probably shouldn't be near it.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:43 am to Zach
He will absorb more information and technique than you think. They are like sponges. Plus he will likely have a lot of fun and kids that age usually like to feel needed and help out in any way
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:46 am to Zach
I can vividly remember Mom & Dad buying a couple of sacks of crawfish, boiling them & then sitting on the kitchen counter helping to scrub the heads for crawfish bisque.....Think I was around 4 or so.
That really started my love of cooking & Mom never ran me out of the kitchen.....Don't think I was using sharp implements for a few years though
That really started my love of cooking & Mom never ran me out of the kitchen.....Don't think I was using sharp implements for a few years though
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:50 am to Zach
My two year old pulls up a chair to watch me cook each day. He isn't helping yet, but wants to. He does scramble the eggs and mix batter for baked goods
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:59 am to Zach
Not sure I'd start with stirring the roux. One bad splash that the child will be burned and crying and will not recall that as a positive experience. Watching someone make gumbo before having done much else is pretty boring.
I usually start with breakfast items and, in particular, French toast. Cracking the eggs, measuring the ingredients, whisking etc...lots a kid can do and all the kids I've had cooking with me love French toast made with French bread. You can go to your favorite old bread and cookie display and buy some day old French bread. I sometimes slice it the night before and leave the slices in the oven (not turned on) overnight to dry them out a bit more.
Same with making waffles or pancakes. It involves the measuring, stirring etc... so there are activities the child can do himself. Cracking eggs was always an exciting start. I think it thrills kids to be able to do that.
I had some kids cookbooks around that gave me ideas on other things.
I usually start with breakfast items and, in particular, French toast. Cracking the eggs, measuring the ingredients, whisking etc...lots a kid can do and all the kids I've had cooking with me love French toast made with French bread. You can go to your favorite old bread and cookie display and buy some day old French bread. I sometimes slice it the night before and leave the slices in the oven (not turned on) overnight to dry them out a bit more.
Same with making waffles or pancakes. It involves the measuring, stirring etc... so there are activities the child can do himself. Cracking eggs was always an exciting start. I think it thrills kids to be able to do that.
I had some kids cookbooks around that gave me ideas on other things.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 12:01 pm to HeadyMurphey
quote:
He does scramble the eggs
That's another thing they really enjoy. They can stir and watch the eggs go from raw to the finished product and it feels like a great accomplishment to them.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 1:49 pm to Zach
mine learned on my hip when he was 1
Don't let him stir a roux!
Don't let him stir a roux!
Posted on 6/5/15 at 4:21 pm to Sailorjerry
I dunno. When I was 7 my dad gave me a bottle of mercury to play with. It was fun. But very heavy stuff. It rolled around like little marbles on the cement stair step of our bungalow. And then it gathered together again. I really miss playing with mercury. In fact, I think it's illegal now.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 8:16 pm to Zach
I remember sitting on the counter in my grandfather's outdoor kitchen at a young age (5 maybe) He talked me through everything he was doing. He did this until I could tell him what to do, why, and how. Then, he made me do it. By 10, I could help stir the roux. Good job Zach. Raise that kid right!
ETA for mobile autocorrect
ETA for mobile autocorrect
This post was edited on 6/5/15 at 8:24 pm
Posted on 6/5/15 at 8:22 pm to CoachChappy
My Dad would put us on the counter when we were 2 and 3 and so on while he made biscuits. We got to try to roll them out and cut them with the biscuit cutters or make funny shapes. They were such good biscuits. He still makes them.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 8:45 pm to Zach
My kids are 10 and 9 and both of them can scramble eggs, bake cookies, grilled cheese. My so has made a roux before and if they show interest I allow them to help in the kitchen. Just tonight my son made hamburger patties. My daughter peels her own cucumbers.
I think having a 7yo watch you cook is good bonding time..... dont force it upon him though.
I think having a 7yo watch you cook is good bonding time..... dont force it upon him though.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 8:50 pm to Gris Gris
7 is a bit young to chop an onion, but not too much. Certainly, a kid with decent fine motor control can do it by 9. But making gumbo is long and kinda boring.....no grand transformation like baking. Kids dig baking b/c the ingredients (dry, terrible tasting flour, pale sugar, butter) become such a radically different thing (brownies! Cookies! Cinnamon rolls!). So why not make a family favorite cookie, cake, or bread? Or ask the lil bugger what HIS favorite thing to eat is, and then make that.
Posted on 6/5/15 at 11:42 pm to Zach
My boys (7&5) always help do pancakes and the like. When master chef jr came on they both got even more excited about it. He doesn't get to use on many things yet and is still obviously working on technique, but the 7 year old got this knife for his birthday. It's pretty well thought out and easy to use. No cuts yet, but if I wasn't watching he may be down a thumb, even with the guard.
This post was edited on 6/5/15 at 11:45 pm
Posted on 6/6/15 at 9:09 am to Zach
As far back as I can remember I was always in the kitchen with my parents or grandparents watching. When they finally started letting me help I already knew most of the steps.
There's no such thing as too young to be in the kitchen.
There's no such thing as too young to be in the kitchen.
Posted on 6/6/15 at 10:24 am to hungryone
quote:
But making gumbo is long and kinda boring.....no grand transformation like baking.
Their parents both work and have very busy schedules. So the grand kids spend a LOT of time in front of the TV and the computer games. The parents said the kids are really excited about getting to do something hands on away from a screen.
Edit: The grand daughter is coming over, too. But she's 4 and will only be watching.
This post was edited on 6/6/15 at 10:27 am
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