Cooking with kids is one of those things that sounds hard in theory. In reality, it’s been one of the best things I’ve done for our family’s health.
Physical, fiscal and emotional.
Here’s what I’ve learned after 18 months of getting my boys into the kitchen.
Story Behind This Article
About 18 months ago I decided it was time to get my boys (now 10 and 13) involved in cooking.
I knew it would be good for them. Food is a huge part of our family culture.
But even I was surprised by how beneficial it’s been.
I wish I’d started sooner!
Why Cooking with Kids and Teens?
The research is pretty compelling.
Health.
A Johns Hopkins study found that people who cooked at home six or seven times a week consumed fewer calories, less fat, and significantly less sugar than those who cooked once a week or less.
That held true whether or not they were trying to lose weight.
A UK study of over 11,000 people found eating home-cooked meals more than five times a week was linked to a 28% lower BMI and a 24% lower risk of excess body fat.
For kids the research is just as compelling.
Children who are regularly involved in meal prep eat on average one extra serving of fruit and vegetables per day.
They’re also more confident making healthy food choices.
And fussy eaters are far more likely to try new foods if they helped make it.
Mental load.
This one surprised me. Now that each of my boys chooses and cooks one night a week, I feel much freer.
It seems like a small thing. It’s not.
That mental energy of deciding what to cook every night adds up. Having them take it off my plate two nights a week has been a game changer.
Money.
Another study showd home-cooked meal costs around $4.31 on average versus $20.37 eating out.
That’s nearly five times the price.
Peaceful Meal Times.
When kids are in charge of cooking, they’re also much more likely to be happy with what’s on the table.
Fewer complaints at the dinner table AND less waste.
Connection.
Cooking together is different to eating together. There’s a bond that comes from a shared project.
I notice it especially with Fergal – my teenager.
We’re chopping and prepping and just pottering around. Conversations happen that wouldn’t happen anywhere else.
Healthier. Wealthier. Closer.
So worth the small investment of effort.
4 Fun Ways to Enjoy Easy Cooking With Kids and Teens
1. Let them choose one night a week.
Ask if they’d like to choose what you’re having and help cook it one night a week. Most kids love having that control.
Finbar and Fergal were genuinely excited when I first suggested it.
Make it an invitation, not a demand. If they’re not into it, try again in 12 months.
One practical tip: decide when you’ll ask them. I ask my boys on Sundays on the drive to church. Then I can plan shopping around whatever they choose.
2. Give them one good source of ideas.
The whole internet is overwhelming.
Pick one go-to resource for easy dinner ideas with kid friendly recipes to make life easier.
My newsletter sends 5 x five-ingredient dinner ideas every Friday, with variations for fussy eaters and how to adapt to your exact dietary requirements.
3. Learn to cook without recipes.
This is the skill that makes everything else easier. When you can cook without recipes, you can open the fridge and just work with what’s there.
No hunting for the perfect recipe. No running to the store.
It’s especially useful with picky eaters.
You can adjust the spice level, swap the protein, change the sides. Everyone gets something they’ll actually eat.
4. Be okay with cooking something different for yourself.
A lot of parents worry that if the kids choose, it’ll be pasta every night.
My solution: share the sauce, change the base.
We make one bolognese.
The boys have it with spaghetti. I have mine with tofu. One sauce, two plates.
Sometimes I just make myself an omelet. Five minutes. No big deal. Everyone eats what they want.
That’s worth it.
Key Takeaway:
Putting This Strategy Into Practice
Start with one conversation.
Ask your child if they’d like to choose dinner and help cook one night a week.
That’s it.
Treat it as an experiment. If it works, keep going. If it doesn’t, you can tell me I’m crazy and stop.
Cooking with kids takes a little more effort than doing it yourself. But it pays back in health, in money saved, in mental load lifted, and in genuine connection.
And they’re only small for such a brief time.
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Want help making this a regular thing?
5-Ingredient Dinners WITH Kids + Teens is a fun, self-paced program that teaches your kids and teens to cook alongside you. Without recipes, without drama, and in less time than it takes to order delivery.
After joining, your family will:
+ Share the load (meal planning, prep and cleanup stops being your problem)
+ Open the fridge and pull something delicious together. 5 ingredients, no recipe, no stress
+ Ditch the dinner complaints. Kids who cook don’t complain about what’s on the table
+ Save money from less takeout and less waste
+ End each day around the table feeling closer. Not depleted and resentful.
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My Best Bite
My Irishman has been roasting parsnips low and slow at 180°C in ghee. Winter here. Parsnip season.
I always crank the oven too high. He is far more patient than me.
The result is extraordinary. Crispy, sweet, deeply flavourful.
So much better than potatoes (OK I’m the only one in the house who thinks so!)
I’m Excited About
School holidays!
That means we’re kicking off the next round of 5-Ingredient Dinners with Kids and Teens.
Finbar is coming into my studio kitchen and we’re going to cook together on camera.
In your corner,
Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio
ps. Can I ask a favour?
If you’ve found this helpful please forward the link to a friend who also loves food. Thank you!
Watch this article on YouTube
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