Cooking together - the cornerstone of a healthy diet

Everyone out of the kitchen!

Unfortunately, this is an often-heard phrase in many households. It is also understandable that the parent who is responsible for preparing the meal wants a little peace and quiet when cooking. After all, nothing should burn and it must also taste good. In addition, cooking can also have a calming effect. Just forget about all the stress of the day!

But it's worth getting the kids into the kitchen with you. From my own experience, but also confirmed by studies, it has been shown that children who are in the kitchen together with their parents and help prepare meals are much more open to new dishes and foods.

This is a great way to tackle the tricky subject of vegetables in particular. If your children have prepared the product themselves, they have a higher acceptance of it.

My mother took me into the kitchen when I was a toddler. While it was more work in the beginning because she always had to keep an eye on me, later on I was a big help to her. I am so grateful to her for that, as it was the cornerstone of my passion for cooking, food and everything related to it. It has had a lasting impact on my entire life path.

To get started, it is recommended to start with very simple dishes and give the kids simple, but in their eyes important tasks. For example, how about pasta in a tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes refined with basil and your child tastes the sauce? This way you can be sure that the little ones will enjoy it, without ketchup and lots of sugar.

You'll quickly notice how much fun it is for your child and how you benefit from the time together, too. So what are you waiting for? Get to the pots and go! :)

Quelle: Jarpe-Ratner E, Folkens S, Sharma S, Daro D, Edens NK. An Experiential Cooking and Nutrition Education Program Increases Cooking Self-Efficacy and Vegetable Consumption in Children in Grades 3-8. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016 Nov-Dec;48(10):697-705.