Kitchen Assistant to Junior Chef

I know I have said it before, but I believe kitchen skills and cooking are essential life skills. I begin teaching my children how to cook (or at least to help prep food or be involved in some way in the kitchen) at a fairly young age.

Recently, we were at the cottage and became hooked on the Food Network when we had some nasty weather roll through each evening. My younger daughter (she’s 7) became obsessed with Chopped Junior and decided she could do better. I challenged her to make up an entire meal – dinner, dessert, and a drink- and told her I would buy the ingredients but she had to prep, make, and serve it. She embraced the challenge and not only made up the recipes and menu, but drew me a list of ingredients to purchase for her.

Her main course was what she dubbed Caroline’s Summer Fresh Salad which contained lettuce, red, yellow, and orange peppers, and bacon (because everything’s better with bacon!) and was to be served with Raspberry Vinaigrette. I admit, I convinced her to serve the vinaigrette on the side because I knew her brothers wouldn’t eat it.

For her drink, she decided she wanted a lemon and lime flavoured water but wanted it to be fizzy. I suggested adding something carbonated for fizziness and she chose Club Soda. I helped her slice the lemons and limes, and she removed the seeds, placed them in the jug in an arrangement of her choosing and adding the remaining ingredients and stirred it to mix. She decided I should fill the cups with ice to make it extra cold.

For dessert, she made Whipped Cream Donut Dreams. She had me get plain donuts which she sliced in half and filled with whipped cream (from a can to make it easy for her). She then drizzled them with melted chocolate and added some rainbow sprinkles.

 

She had such a good time from planning and executing her menu, and I was so proud of her! I think this exercise really boosted her confidence in just how much she can do in the kitchen. She is now constantly asking to help out in preparing our meals and I let her do as much as I safely can. She recently helped me make homemade burgers and mixed all the ingredients herself. She has even asked to be enrolled in cooking classes!

Helping make burgers

Children are capable of so much more than people give them credit for. Challenge them and see what they can do. If we just allow them to spread their wings, just think of how high and far they could soar.