Below are a few surefire ways to get your children cooking and inspire a new generation of food lovers.
What better way to keep your little (and not-so-little) ones busy over the school holidays, than to let them practise a skill which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives?
So instead of telling the children to go and watch a dvd or play a computer game, follow these tips to keep them amused, keep yourself sane and give them skills to win friends when they're are older, to eat healthily and to help you out in the kitchen too!Cooking With Children1. Lead by example. If you're interested in cooking, they'll be interested too.
2. Get them cooking savoury as well as sweet dishes. There's nothing wrong with the odd batch of biscuits but main courses are the real deal, and kids know that.
3. Give them an important job in the kitchen, that's always 'their job'.. Chopping parsley with scissors in a cup is a good one - children love snipping!
4. Discuss food with them. What they have to say matters. Listen and learn.
5. Harness their competitive spirit and at the same time teach them about taste and smell. Get them smelling different liquids - lemon juice and lime, for example - and take a blindfold test with them. Going head to head with adults can produce surprising results, and boy do they love to beat you!
6. Take them shopping. Discuss the uses of everyday items, teach them to look at labels and get little ones to fetch a cucumber or a red pepper for you.
7. Get the kit. For little ones a hat is good hygiene and feels serious.
8. Don't be afraid of knives. If you can't cut you can't cook. Learning respect for blades is vital, and once a child is seven they can be taught to hold a sharp knife and use it under supervision.
9. Buy a child-friendly cookbook. One of the best ones is The Silver Spoon for Children, which has some seriously good dishes such as chicken with olives. Suggest they serve it with bread and salad the first time - potatoes and vegetables can come later!
10. Eat what they cook! It's all about respect for the food and the chef, so the whole family should sit around the table to eat it and watch the young chef glow with pride.
February 2011
A longer version of this artcile is in this month's 'delicious MAGAZINE'.
delicious - Because food is one of life's great pleasures! | 
How To Get Kids Cooking
