Why children should learn how to cook

THE end-of-year holidays are here and your children will be enjoying this time away from school.

Holidays are usually spent relaxing, travelling or taking time to discover new hobbies. Hobbies like playing the piano are great, but consider investing in a practical hobby like cooking or baking.

You may be wondering, why cooking and/or baking? Well, they are a great investment for your child’s future as it’s an essential life skill. Today, there are young adults who struggle to even cook a packet of instant noodles. Here are other benefits of teaching your child how to cook.

1. They can learn what different foods look and taste like

Children who aren’t involved in the kitchen may not be able to identify types of fruits or vegetables. If you do grocery shopping with them or let them watch you cook, you can teach them about the many fruits and vegetables out there. In addition to that, you can introduce them to a variety of dishes as well.

2. Encourages them to try different foods

If your child has a hand in whipping up the dish, they’re more likely to give it a try. Helping out in the cooking or baking process gives them a certain sense of pride, resulting in a desire to try out the dish.

Through cooking, slowly introduce your child to different cuisines. Instead of the regular Malaysian dishes, try making a Japanese dessert to introduce your child to Japanese cuisine for a start. If the results aren’t to satisfactory, don’t discourage them; instead, you can offer advice on what to change for their next attempt.

3. It teaches them responsibility and gives them a confidence boost

Once in a while, put your child in charge of making a part of a recipe or whipping up a simple breakfast. This can instill a sense of pride that they’re serving a dish that they made while giving them a confidence boost. Being in the kitchen is just not all about cooking and baking. Teach them to be responsible for the cleaning up as well. This is a way to instill a sense of responsibility that can be applied to other areas of their life.

4. They’ll learn the importance of a balanced diet and nutrition

Show them the amount of work and effort that goes into cooking/baking. It’ll teach them that meals don’t just magically show up when needed. This is also the best time to teach your child the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet. Teach them about the benefits of fresh ingredients, or the benefits of eating real meat instead of processed meat.

If you’re not much of a cook yourself, you can consider sending your child to a cooking class. Here are some places that offer cooking classes for children:

Klang Valley:

1. The Cooking House
2. PEEKABOO Creative Academy
3. Young Chefs Academy Malaysia
4. T-Garden Cooking School
5. Lara’s Place
6. Artis Kids Store
7. Apple Kitchen
8. Jen’s Homegrown Cooking Academy

Penang:

1. Pickles and Spices cooking class

Johor:

1. Pink Daisy Bakery & Cafe