You can work yourself out of the dinner cooking gig...when you teach your kids to cook for your family.

Even if you love cooking, it's nice to get a break sometimes right?!

Teaching kids how to cook is really great because it...

• works us out of a job
  
• instills a love of cooking
  
• teaches important valuable life skills
  

Suggested Ages and Stages of Learning to Cook

• 3-5 years: stirring ingredients, mashing potatoes, washing veggies, cutting soft things like dough with a cutter
• 6-8 years: measuring, peeling carrots, whisking up batters, setting the table, cutting with plastic knives or protective gloves
• 9-11 years: how to use oven and stove top, organizing meals and grocery lists, opening cans safely, cutting with real knives, sauteing, cooking pasta, baking
• Teens: food safety and cookware safety, multi-step recipes, advanced cooking methods, the science of it
  

*Please note: These are just general suggestions and what we've done in our home. YOU know your kid and their skill level best, so always use your super-parent-judgement about when they are ready for each new skill :)

Delegation Strategy

1. Adult shows kid how to complete task
   
2. Adult closely watches as kid tries it on their own
   
3. Adult checks in during or after kid has completed
   
4. Kid does it on their own with a check at the end
   
5. Kid completes the task on their own without a check

Applying P-I-E to Cooking Lessons for Kids

Plan: Use Whis-Kid curriculum, or get with your kids to make a plan of recipes and set dates on the calendar

Implement: Get in the kitchen and have fun!

Evaluate: What worked well? What was learned? How was the meal?