| There are many opportunities to teach your kids | | | | cooking loving mom, dad or grandma can be a lot |
| to cook. Different seasons of the year bring | | | | of fun giving a cooking presentation or lesson. |
| excellent times for cooking with your kids | | | | 6. Kitchen specialty stores. Take a tour of a |
| whether it is gingerbread houses in December or | | | | kitchen specialty shop and your kids can learn all |
| chocolate eggs in Springtime. Autumn time brings | | | | about different appliances, kitchen utensils and |
| apple recipes and pumpkin dishes to teach. But | | | | more. This can really spark the interest of kid |
| don't forget the teaching moments beyond your | | | | chefs. |
| own kitchen. Here are a few ideas. | | | | 7. Decorate or sew an apron. Buy a plain apron |
| | | | and let kids decorate it or find a pattern to sew |
| 1. Grow a garden. Kids love to get dirty so this is | | | | for a simple apron. |
| a great activity for them to get started with. In | | | | 8. Make pot holders. A simple idea for pot holders |
| winter you can grow herbs or even pea shoots | | | | is to cut out designs or shapes out of an old or |
| inside. During gardening season give your child an | | | | new ironing board cover. They make great pot |
| area to plant and let them be in charge. Not only | | | | holders and are sensitive to heat. |
| will they love to watch things grow they will | | | | 9. Involve your kids in grocery shopping. |
| sample the vegetables they are cultivating. | | | | Sometimes it is easier for a mom or dad to go |
| 2. Tour factories. If you are lucky to have a food | | | | shopping without the kids but getting them |
| factory in your area, they often will give tours of | | | | involved can teach them a lot about healthy food, |
| how the factory is run. | | | | cooking and planning meals. |
| 3. Bakeries. Like factories many local bakeries if | | | | 10. Let your kids help in planning meals. Work |
| asked for a tour are happy to give kids this | | | | together as a team planning out the next week's |
| learning experience. | | | | menu and make sure they understand why |
| 4. Restaurants. At slow times local restaurants | | | | boxed macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake |
| may also be willing to give tours of there kitchen. | | | | isn't the best and healthiest option each night. |
| This really gives those kids interested in cooking a | | | | Teaching your kids about healthy eating and the |
| bird's eye view of how things are run behind the | | | | many aspects of cooking is a great foundation |
| scenes. | | | | when your kids are learning to cook. Cooking can |
| 5. Professional chef. Do you have a professional | | | | bring a lot of fun and memorable times for the |
| chef in your area? Try looking at specialty kitchen | | | | whole family. |
| shops, restaurants, personal chefs or even a | | | | |