Kids in the Kitchen

Posted by Jaime L. Hebert Oct 6, 2006

When I taught second grade, I did some classroom cooking. We made "bread bugs" during our insect unit, Christmas snack mix, and pumpkin seeds. But I didn't see the value of cooking with my students until after I left my teaching position to work at the Maine Nutrition Network. Sure, as a teacher, I worried about my students and their Lunchables snacks and sodas. But I wasn't equipped to deal with those issues then, as I was focusing on the bigger issues as mandated by my curriculum: reading, math, and writing. What I learned at my job at the Nutrition Network made me want to go back and do my two years of teaching over again, because I was so much better equipped to see that food, activity and learning are closely linked.

My students loved cooking projects. There is something endlessly fascinating about mixing all those ingredients together to produce something that tastes and looks good. Children are also fascinated with food itself. Any parent knows that if their child has been taught to read food labels, a trip to the grocery store can be enlightening and frustrating all at the same time. ("But, Dad, this one has too much sodium!" "Mom, this package says there are 26 grams of sugar in one serving!")

Children don't start out with the food issues we adults live with on a daily basis. Food, for them, is just another way to explore the world. It's when they are exposed to the eating habits and thoughts of other people (parents, friends, teachers, the media) that they begin to view food in a different light. The good news is, it doesn't have to be that way. Babies know when they are full and will stop eating. It is often the adults who say "But you've hardly eaten! here, have more milk/cereal/etc."

As adults, we need to put a little of that food control back in our children's hands. It's scary to do, but the outcome is often surprising. (Unless of course the child has a medical or mental condition that needs extra attention.) Most children are willing to cook if taught how, will try new foods if not pressured and allowed choices, and will eat the right amount for their bodies if they know there are regular meal and snacktimes.

One of the best first steps is to involve children in all aspects: shopping, preparing food, cooking and eating. In the classroom or at home, it can make a big cifference in how children deal with food. For some ideas, see Fun Fall Cooking Ideas for Kids