help my nearly 5 year olds want to help cook dinner. Any ideas beyond gettingthem to mash potatoes and make pizza?
nemesis,
Jun 3, 1:27pm
My 5 year old loves her baking/cooking. Hassles me to let her help or bake all the time. We now just make all the stuff we normally have. I let her help with anything that doesn't involve the electric mixer etc. Even things like scrambled eegs she makes on her own with the whisk. Well she's learning to crack eggs. Puts everything in the bowl, mixes it, then I pop it in the microwave & she sets the timer etc. Things like Bacon & Egg pie, Quiche, Pasta Dishes & Soups. LOL my monkey even made the cheese sauce for her little trees (broccoli) for the 1st time the other day. I always stay right by her and talk her through it tho.
lythande1,
Jun 3, 8:52pm
Let her do whatever parts they can, regardless of what the meal is. My son is letting his 3 yr old help, made stuffed capsicums the other day, she didn't help with preparing the filling but she put the stuffing in the capsicums, then modified his recipe by insisting she be allowed to put grated cheese on top also.
Say you do a roast - they could help peel veges, add any herbs/spices to the meat. Perhaps not open the oven and check, but observe while you do. Things like that - help with parts of it.
evorotorua,
Jun 3, 11:49pm
My kids were chopping veges (carrots, beans etc) from a young age. You start with a good sharp knife because it won't slip when chopping. You can cut a flat surface first along the side of a carrot if you are worried about it rolling around and then they slice it whatever way they want. My three year old daughter made "carrot soup" This was merely peeling and chopping a carrot. Putting it into water. Boiling and then eating it. She told me she hated just boiled carrots but loved her carrot soup! She just turned 21 and still has all her fingers. Don't under estimate their abilities but watch them well and show them the right way to hold a knife, peeler, grater. It is a good time to get them eating different foods. They seem to like the taste of things they have made. Also a good time to teach about measuring. Make rice in the microwave....1 cup rice, 2 cups hot water in a large bowl in the microwave for 14 minutes. Fluff with a fork and all ready to go. They love having this with some cooked veges. Also making things like meatballs and roast chicken are easy for them. You will need to take the chicken out of the oven of course!
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