What are the benefits of cooking together with my child?

Teaching children to cook is one of the best ways to develop a positive relationship with food. There are lots of ways to do this, at any age! It gives children exposure to food without having the pressure to eat it, but when they’re involved in preparation, they’re often more open to trying and eating different foods.

We know time can be tight, so we’re not suggesting you cook together every night of the week, but maybe choose a day when you know you’ve got a bit more time (and patience!) And remember, even if they're just helping you to choose the menu or cutlery it's still a form of cooking together.

I think it’s quite useful for her to know exactly what’s in the food she’s eating, not just getting it dished up and put in front of the table. – Abi, mum of Scarlett

You could try out our Favourite Foods and Meal Planner activity together as a family, writing all your favourite foods for each family member. You can then create a meal plan for the week together by choosing at least one favourite food item for each family member to create the menu. Your child then learns the process of what it takes to enjoy a meal together, and has more input in the decisions, meaning they're more likely to appreciate and enjoy it.

Cooking with your child offers numerous benefits, including enhancing their skills, improving their eating habits, and strengthening your bond. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Fine motor skills: Tasks like stirring, chopping (with supervision), and measuring, all help to develop fine motor skills in children’s hands, eyes and fingers.
• Gross motor skills: Activities such as kneading dough or mixing batter can improve gross motor co-ordination (which involve bigger muscle groups and movements) in your child’s arms and muscles.

• Maths skills: Measuring ingredients and counting can reinforce maths concepts like fractions and numbers.
• Reading skills: Reading recipes and following instructions can enhance literacy skills.
• Science understanding: Cooking introduces basic science concepts, like how heat changes the state of food or the role of yeast in baking.
• Problem-solving and critical thinking: Following recipes and figuring out substitutions or adjustments can boost problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

• Exposure to new foods: Cooking together can encourage children to try new foods and develop a more varied intake.
• Understanding nutrition: Learning about ingredients and how meals are prepared can develop an understanding of balanced eating.
• Increased appetite: Children are often more willing to try and eat meals they helped prepare, leading to better nutritional intake.

Once she’s involved in the cooking process herself… I don’t even have to remind her [about] eating her food or finishing her plate. – Priya, mum of Anu

• Cooking together is a valuable life skill and provides an opportunity to spend time doing something enjoyable.
• Assigning age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen can teach children responsibility and boost their confidence and independence.
• Cooking requires following steps and waiting for food to be ready, which can help children develop patience and focus.
• Completing a recipe and creating a meal can give children a sense of achievement and boost their confidence. You can try our homemade chicken nuggets activity, which gives you and your child the opportunity to follow a recipe for a minimally-produced meal.

1. Involve your child in safe meal preparation: allow them to safely chop vegetables or measure, add and stir ingredients. If you have a toddler, take inspiration from this mealtime challenge.
2. Let your child make a decision between two or three vegetables or accompaniments. This offers some choice while still staying within boundaries.
3. Try preparing or cooking some of these easy family dinner recipes together. If they feel comfortable, let them taste the food that they’ve made.
4. Use imagination, for example pretending to be chefs in a restaurant. You can also try a family-themed night – you choose a theme like having a picnic, eating American, Chinese, Indian or Mexican food, etc. Decorate the kitchen with flags or bunting, write a menu so each guest has one and ask your child if they want to draw a picture for each persons' menu, and encourage cooking and taking part in the whole experience together as a family.
5. Create games around mealtimes. You could arrange food on the plate to create faces or shapes, give your meal an interesting name, anything that makes it fun! Use our Meal Bingo activity with your child to see if you can cook and eat the meals together and tick them off your bingo sheet as you go along.

Cooking from scratch – when you have the time – can not only save you money but it also means you know exactly what’s gone into the food. This can be particularly helpful if your child has a food allergy. You’ll still need to check the list of ingredients to ensure they don’t include the allergen your child is allergic to – ingredients do change so we advise checking each time. You’ll also need to look out for the wording ‘may contain’, as this means the manufacturer can’t guarantee the product doesn’t contain that particular allergen, even though it’s not part of the listed ingredients.

For more inspiration, and depending on your child’s allergy, scroll through these nut-free recipes, egg-free recipes, dairy-free recipes or gluten-free recipes. If you have multiple food allergies, do check the ingredient list carefully and exclude or substitute as necessary.

Advice and expertise across our Happy Family Eating content was provided by children’s dietitian Angharad Banner - an independent and NHS dietitian.