Cooking With Adolescents
Kathy Walsten
Nutrition Educator
Family Nutrition Program (FNP)
K-State Research and Extension
Kansas State University
Teaching adolescents to cook is fun, and being in the kitchen appeals to most kids. It’s the perfect place to expose kids to healthy food, which they are often more willing to eat if they helped in preparation. Adolescents may choose nutritionally sound foods if they understand the role of food in good health. For instance, talk with the young people in your life about choosing low fat milk, (either white or chocolate), water or 100% juice instead of soda. Soft drinks add lots of calories and sugar to diets and kids are losing out on valuable nutrients they need for strong bones and teeth and vitamins A and C.
The kitchen provides a wealth of knowledge in several areas.
- Cooking is science. You can watch dough rise, you can talk about where foods come from, or you can investigate how food is changed through the addition of heat or cold. Help kids understand that single ingredients can be combined to make an entirely different product.
- Cooking teaches math. Measuring is all about fractions so explore how you can double a recipe for quantity cooking, or use a calculator to compare unit-prices at the store to determine the best buy. Look at food labels to compare how much sugar is in one item versus another.
- Cooking teaches social studies. Preparing foods from other cultures teaches kids about food preference and availability in other places around the world.
- Cooking teaches language arts and reading. Following recipe directions is critical to successful outcomes, and new vocabulary words are just naturally added when new ingredients are introduced. Kids have different learning abilities and interests but all can be successful in the kitchen.
- Cooking is fine arts. Plate presentation and culinary skills can be learned in the preparation of food.
Cooking with kids teaches texture, color, action, suspense and camaraderie. It provides many opportunities for using all the senses. Work as a team; teach your kids how to listen to instructions, how to share measuring tools and how to cooperate with each other.
Kids have a major influence on what is purchased and prepared in the home, so why not get them involved in the grocery shopping? Start your cooking adventure at the store. Let kids help you shop and choose new foods to prepare. They won’t know if they like a new food until they try it! Choose foods that are “wholesome.” It is best to eat “real” food, food that is not processed to death and that is as close to its natural state as possible. Choose whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables over processed foods. Adolescents can help create grocery lists and learn shopping skills while staying within a budget.
Before you begin to cook with adolescents, there are a few rules everyone must follow.
- Roll up sleeves and tie back long hair.
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Remove books and book bags from work area.
- Sanitize countertop. Use 1 teaspoon bleach in a quart spray bottle of water. A recent study states that adding white vinegar to diluted household bleach greatly increases the disinfecting power of the solution, so add a teaspoon of vinegar to the solution. Spray work area, air dry or wipe with a clean paper towel.
- Read the recipe all the way through.
- Place everything you need on your work area.
- Make sure an adult is nearby to help, depending on your cooking skills.
- Measure everything carefully and follow directions.
- Taste with a clean spoon.
- Resist nibbling raw cookie dough or cake batter.
- Always use a different cutting board and knife for raw meats and fruits and vegetables.
- Don’t put knives or other sharp objects into a sink of soapy water. Someone could reach in and cut themselves.
- Wash all dishes and utensils and keep the kitchen clean.
After kids learn all the rules for a safe cooking experience, choosing the right recipe is important. Encourage kids to help look for recipes in cookbooks or on websites such as Kansas State University’s Kids a Cookin’ website. This website has kid-friendly recipes plus games, tips and techniques to simplify the cooking experience. With your guidance, adolescents can develop the skills for planning and preparing nutritious recipes and meals.
Kids who regularly eat with their families tend to have healthier eating patterns that contain more fruits and veggies and less fried food, soda and saturated fat. Establishing positive eating habits early helps children build skills that can last a lifetime. "Kitchen time" creates close bonds and lasting memories!