Involving kids in the kitchen
Kids love to help out in the kitchen – it’s fun and can help them learn skills they will use for life. Find simple ways to prepare food and drinks together.
Creating healthy eating habits in the kitchen
Helping your kids set up healthy habits can promote lifelong health and lower their risk of diseases.
You can start helping your child build skills and confidence in the kitchen at almost any age.
Cooking with your kids can also help them:
- eat more vegetables and fruits
- have better mental wellbeing.
Skills and safety in the kitchen
Getting your kids into the kitchen is a fun way to teach them about healthy eating. Try to involve them as much as possible so they can learn. You might also like to teach them about shopping for healthy foods and choosing ingredients for one of our recipes.
Here are some food safety lessons you can teach your kids.
- Wash your hands before you start to cook.
- Wear an apron or old clothes to protect clothing.
- Wash all fruits or vegetables before you start to prepare them.
- Use separate chopping boards for chopping raw meat and raw vegetables. Learn more about food safety.
- Don't lick your fingers or any kitchen utensils until you’ve finished cooking.
- Wash and put away your utensils and clean up the cooking area when you are finished.
- Adjust any oven shelves before you turn on the oven.
- Turn the oven to the right temperature before you start to cook.
- Use oven mitts to remove hot dishes from the oven or stove.
- Remember to turn off the oven or stove when you’ve finished cooking.
- Be careful and watch your children when they’re using sharp knives or cutting tools. Keep fingers away from the blade.
- Always cut food on a chopping board.
Cooking at all ages
Children are more likely to eat food they’ve prepared. Here are some ideas for cooking activities for different ages.
| Age | How they can help you cook |
|---|---|
| 2 to 3 year olds | Wash vegetables and fruit or tear herbs, lettuce and salad greens. |
| 3 to 4 year olds | Mash potatoes and bananas or mix batters. |
4 to 6 year olds | Measure dry and liquid ingredients or set the table. |
6 to 8 year olds | Toss salad ingredients together or make a simple breakfast. |
8 to 12 year olds | Make their own school lunch or help to plan meals. |
Teens | Take charge of making one meal per week. |
These are just suggestions. Your kids may be able to do more or less in the kitchen. It’s important to supervise kids who are young or inexperienced in the kitchen when they’re learning to prepare food.
Visit the Raising Children Network for more ideas about cooking with your kids and teenagers.
Healthy mealtime habits
Meal times are a great opportunity to show your kids healthy eating behaviours such as eating more vegetables and fruits. Children are more likely to try and like foods they see their parents or carers eating.
Here are some ideas for making meal times fun and set up healthy habits for life.
Eating together is a great way to spend quality time as a family. Start by planning to eat together at the table once this week, without screens.
Eating more vegetables and fruits supports your family’s health and wellbeing. Remember it can take time for children to enjoy new foods. You could try:
- serving a new vegetable with your child’s favourite meal
- adding a piece of fruit to your child’s lunchbox with foods they already enjoy
- serving new fruits or vegetables in different ways, such as grated carrot instead of cooked carrot slices.
It can be slow and messy when your child first starts to help in the kitchen. It’s okay for your child to make mistakes – that's how they learn.Show them how to do things and be a positive role model. You might like to try a new healthy recipe to make together.
Before you begin to cook, it’s a good idea to read the recipe from start to finish. Get out the ingredients and equipment to make things easier before involving children while they are still learning.
Work together to make changes. For example, try to eat dinner at the same time most nights and have healthy snacks available at home for the whole family until dinner is ready.