The Joy of Cooking with Kids During the Holidays

With special treats and family gatherings, the holidays are the perfect time to teach your child about cooking and nutrition.

Kids will not only get to try the new foods they prepare, they will also get a big boost to their confidence when they see family and friends enjoying their creations. Most importantly, cooking with your children promotes future health by teaching them about nutrition and how to prepare healthy meals.

Safety Precautions

To be safe, cover a few ground rules before getting started in the kitchen. Teach kids to wash their hands with warm, soapy water while singing two choruses of "Happy Birthday" to kill all germs.

Stress that it is never safe to eat mixtures containing raw eggs—even the cookie dough of their favorite holiday cookies. To ensure your kids will keep their fingers out of the batter, have them take the "Cookie Rookie Pledge" from www.homefoodsafety.org/kids.

Teaching Basics

To begin cooking, teach your child the basics, such as cracking an egg or gathering the ingredients for a favorite holiday recipe. Convey to your child the importance of measuring the correct amount of each ingredient and the different types of utensils you need to use.

Look Who's Cooking!

To keep your children enthusiastic about cooking, assign tasks of a holiday recipe they are able to prepare based on their abilities. Here are some ideas depending on your child's age:

• Five and six year olds Stir instant pudding, snap green beans, prepare lettuce for a salad, press cookie cutters, pour liquids into batter

• Seven and eight year olds Rinse vegetables, shuck corn, mix and shake ingredients, beat eggs, measure dry ingredients

• Nine and 10 year olds Knead bread dough, stir hot mixtures, blend batters, broil foods in toaster oven, cut foods with a table knife

• Children age 10 and older Slice or chop vegetables, boil potatoes, microwave foods, bake foods in the oven, simmer ingredients on the stove.

Remember to allow your child to gradually master cooking methods. Start with simple techniques like rolling dough, using a cookie cutter or spreading frosting. Give your child time to work his or her way up to completing the entire cookie making process, from pouring liquids into batter to baking them in the oven. Explain different methods for cooking and their purpose, such as baking versus broiling and how you would cook different dishes.

From an early age, take advantage of the holidays and start cooking your favorite recipe with your children.

Reprinted with permission from The American Dietetic Association www.eatright.org

For more tips from the American Dietetic Association, visit www.kidseatright.org.