Boys learning to cook is a vital and healthy part of growing up. I've had my boys in the kitchen since they were toddlers, and put them to work at an early age. Initially, I would start out keeping it simple and easy. Things that use few ingredients and are one-dish meals are good to begin with for young cooks. Move to the basic foods that are still fairly uncomplicated. Young cooks should be able to prepare at least one good recipe from each of the basic meats, pasta, vegetables, fruit group and an outstanding dessert. Then, they are ready for anything.
I found with my own boys, I've tried to teach them first how to cook their favorite dishes. It's all about getting them involved and letting them experiment. I try to bring them in the kitchen and teach them the basics. If they never cook, they will never learn how.
Boys need to learn to cook so that they can be self sufficient and capable of feeding themselves – no excuses. Plus, think how happy his future significant other will be to find out that he is a good cook. Unfortunately, many still believe that cooking is for women. How silly is that, since many of the best chefs are men.
Kids like to help at a very young age, but then we chase them from the kitchen. We think their “help” will be more work for us and also are concerned about the dangers. So instead we should take the necessary precautions, teach them the rules of the kitchen and supervise them constantly. Teaching children from a young age builds confidence. It also encourages them to try new things.
In addition to spending time with my boys and doing something I love, it is wonderful to watch them take so much pride in their cooking and manage to have fun in the process.
Remember, when you finally get young people cooking, do not criticize, or they will lose interest quickly. Teach, show by example, and then let them on their own. In most cases, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Nutrition For Kids
The Food Guide Pyramid for children was designed by the US Dept. of Agriculture to promote healthy nutrition. It is meant to be a general guide to daily food choices. The main emphasis of the food pyramid is on the five major food groups, all of which are required for good health. It also emphasizes that foods that include a lot of fats, oils and sweets should be used very sparingly.
After the age of two or three years, you can begin to use 2%, low fat, or skim milk instead of whole milk. Your child's diet should resemble that of the rest of the families, with 3 meals and 2 nutritious snacks each day. You should limit milk and dairy products to about 16-24oz each day and juice to about 4-6 oz each day and offer a variety of foods to encourage good eating habits later.
Your child's nutrition is important to her overall health. Proper nutrition can also prevent many medical problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It will also ensure that your child physically grows to her full potential.
The best nutrition advise to keep your child healthy includes encouraging her to:
Eat a variety of foods
Balance the food you eat with physical activity
Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
Choose a diet moderate in sugars and salt
Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body's requirements.
You can also help promote good nutrition by setting a good example. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise should be a regular part of your family's life. It is much easier if everyone in the house follows these guidelines, than if your child has to do it alone. You should also buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks and desserts, low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high calorie desserts or snacks, such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.
After the age of two or three years, you can begin to use 2%, low fat, or skim milk instead of whole milk. Your child's diet should resemble that of the rest of the families, with 3 meals and 2 nutritious snacks each day. You should limit milk and dairy products to about 16-24oz each day and juice to about 4-6 oz each day and offer a variety of foods to encourage good eating habits later.
Your child's nutrition is important to her overall health. Proper nutrition can also prevent many medical problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It will also ensure that your child physically grows to her full potential.
The best nutrition advise to keep your child healthy includes encouraging her to:
Eat a variety of foods
Balance the food you eat with physical activity
Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
Choose a diet moderate in sugars and salt
Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet their growing body's requirements.
You can also help promote good nutrition by setting a good example. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise should be a regular part of your family's life. It is much easier if everyone in the house follows these guidelines, than if your child has to do it alone. You should also buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks and desserts, low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high calorie desserts or snacks, such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.
Kids Kitchen Safety Tips
Understanding the dangers of the kitchen and how to prevent them is an essential life tool that all children should learn. Whether your children want to take over as household “Chefs” or simply wants to learn how to feed themselves when they move out on their own, I invite you to read these important kitchen safety tips and share them with your children, today.
Kitchen Safety Tips:
1. Supervise young children and first-time chefs. Never let your child cook alone.
2. Develop patience. Your children will make fewer mistakes when they are enjoying the process and not worrying about getting yelled at.
3. Handle kitchen products properly. Don’t assume your children will know what to do with kitchen products just by watching you in the kitchen. Take the time to explain how each product works, as it’s needed for each recipe.
4. Understand fire safety. Explain how the fire extinguisher works, how to put out a grease fire, and when to call 911.
5. Wear short sleeves. Long sleeves have a chance of catching fire or falling into hot grease or boiling water.
6. Wear an apron. Aprons help protect clothes and add extra padding in case of spilt hot water, splattered oil, etc.
7. Use oven mitts. Never use a towel to move hot pans because the loose parts of the towel can fall onto a hot burner and catch on fire. Oven mitts are safer because they help your children hold onto the handle of a hot pan more securely.
8. Wash your hands. Hands carry germs and can contaminate food.
9. Keep pan handles facing in and over countertops. Pan handles should never extend over the hot stove and definitely not out towards the floor where someone could bump the handle and spill a pot of hot food on him.
10. Never leave food unattended. Unwatched pots can spill over causing fires and other kitchen hazards.
11. Clean up spills. Serious injuries occur when others slip and fall because of wet floors or foreign objects, so make sure your children understand the importance of cleaning up a spill as it occurs. (Always have a mop or rag handy.)
12. Speed clean ups. Teach your children to clean while they wait for the next stage in preparing the food (i.e. water boils, soup simmers, etc.).
13. Never eat raw meats or poultry. Raw poultry can lead to food poisoning (i.e. salmonella).
14. Wash surfaces where raw meats and poultry touched. Surfaces touched by raw meat should be cleaned before placing another food product on that surface to prevent cross contamination.
15. Keep raw food separate from cooked food. Never place cooked food back on a plate that once contained raw food.
16. Metal and microwaves don’t mix. Any object that contains metal or aluminum should not be placed into a microwave because doing so could cause a fire.
Kitchen Safety Tips:
1. Supervise young children and first-time chefs. Never let your child cook alone.
2. Develop patience. Your children will make fewer mistakes when they are enjoying the process and not worrying about getting yelled at.
3. Handle kitchen products properly. Don’t assume your children will know what to do with kitchen products just by watching you in the kitchen. Take the time to explain how each product works, as it’s needed for each recipe.
4. Understand fire safety. Explain how the fire extinguisher works, how to put out a grease fire, and when to call 911.
5. Wear short sleeves. Long sleeves have a chance of catching fire or falling into hot grease or boiling water.
6. Wear an apron. Aprons help protect clothes and add extra padding in case of spilt hot water, splattered oil, etc.
7. Use oven mitts. Never use a towel to move hot pans because the loose parts of the towel can fall onto a hot burner and catch on fire. Oven mitts are safer because they help your children hold onto the handle of a hot pan more securely.
8. Wash your hands. Hands carry germs and can contaminate food.
9. Keep pan handles facing in and over countertops. Pan handles should never extend over the hot stove and definitely not out towards the floor where someone could bump the handle and spill a pot of hot food on him.
10. Never leave food unattended. Unwatched pots can spill over causing fires and other kitchen hazards.
11. Clean up spills. Serious injuries occur when others slip and fall because of wet floors or foreign objects, so make sure your children understand the importance of cleaning up a spill as it occurs. (Always have a mop or rag handy.)
12. Speed clean ups. Teach your children to clean while they wait for the next stage in preparing the food (i.e. water boils, soup simmers, etc.).
13. Never eat raw meats or poultry. Raw poultry can lead to food poisoning (i.e. salmonella).
14. Wash surfaces where raw meats and poultry touched. Surfaces touched by raw meat should be cleaned before placing another food product on that surface to prevent cross contamination.
15. Keep raw food separate from cooked food. Never place cooked food back on a plate that once contained raw food.
16. Metal and microwaves don’t mix. Any object that contains metal or aluminum should not be placed into a microwave because doing so could cause a fire.
Boys Can Cook Too! Cookbook - Now Available on Amazon!!!
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that my first cookbook is for sale on Amazon. You can go to my website, boyscancooktoo.com and find out more details.
In addition, I'm working on two more "Boys Can Cook Too!" cookbooks that will be available in June. ~~~
**Fast Snacks -
Quick & Healthy Recipes for Active Boys on the Go
**Incredible Cookies -
Fun and Easy Recipes for Boys that Love to Bake
I just wanted to let you know that my first cookbook is for sale on Amazon. You can go to my website, boyscancooktoo.com and find out more details.
In addition, I'm working on two more "Boys Can Cook Too!" cookbooks that will be available in June. ~~~
**Fast Snacks -
Quick & Healthy Recipes for Active Boys on the Go
**Incredible Cookies -
Fun and Easy Recipes for Boys that Love to Bake
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
