How to Include Kids in Cooking
Cheryl Knecht • May 6, 2025
Raising Confident Cooks: Simple Ways to Get Kids Involved in the Kitchen
Getting kids involved in the kitchen is a fun and meaningful way to build their confidence, independence, and curiosity about food. Whether they’re helping pack their lunch, choosing groceries, or creating a new snack with just a few ingredients, even the smallest tasks can make a big impact. Encourage creativity, allow room for messes, and take the time to teach them how tools and ingredients work. Establishing simple cooking rituals—like baking together once a week or planting a few herbs—can turn everyday moments into learning experiences. With the right guidance and a little patience, your kitchen can become a place of joyful exploration for kids of all ages.

- Create a ritual → Cook or bake together once a week. Help them learn how to properly scoop flour or teach them about why baking soda is added to a recipe.
- Let them use tools → Supervise them while they turn on the blender, food processor or use a kid’s knife while chopping veggies. Foster their independence!
- Start a small garden → It can be as small as a basil pot or as large as a garden bed. Kids will learn the responsibility involved in taking care of herbs and veggies, and be rewarded by using them for a recipe at home.
- Watch cooking shows together → Shows like “Junior Baking Show” or “My Word Kitchen” are wonderful resources for kids to learn about cooking skills and culture. YouTube has lots of videos too!
How to Include Kids in Cooking
- Let them help → Show them how they can help you when preparing their lunch or snack.
- Let them be creative → Give them 3 or 4 ingredients and let them prepare a new snack or sandwich.
- Let them choose items for groceries → Go through foods in the fridge and pantry and let them decide on 2 or 3 fruits or vegetables that they would like to add to the list.
- Let them get messy! → Kids learn best when they are allowed to make a mess. Spilling flour, cracking eggs outside of the bowl, spilling batter while mixing, these are all opportunities for them to learn and fall in love with the process of cooking.


By Cheryl Knecht
•
September 17, 2025
After nearly 10 years of teaching, I’ve noticed a pattern: parents who love cooking are eager for their kids to join in, while those who see it as a chore often don’t realize how much their children can gain from cooking classes. I often hear concerns like: “My child is a picky eater. They don’t touch vegetables and won’t eat anything in that class.” “They’re not interested in cooking. They just want to make cookies and brownies but don’t want to cook meals.” “They have food allergies and won’t be able to taste anything in the class,” “They’re too young—it’s not safe for them to be in the kitchen yet.” But in practice, these are the kids who benefit most. Here’s why:

By Alison Carchi
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June 10, 2025
At the Mobile Kitchen Project, we bring everything but the kitchen sink—literally! This past school year, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve over 250 students each week across the Chicago area through our hands-on culinary classes and family dinner events.

By Cheryl Knecht
•
May 27, 2025
Watching my son graduate and prepare to move out for an adventurous life, I reflects on my time in the kitchen and wonders if I taught him enough about cooking. As a quiet but meaningful way of showing care, cooking became a shared language—one I now captures in a simple recipe binder for him to take. It’s not about perfect meals, but about equipping him with comfort, confidence, and a taste of home.