Do Kids Who Cook Like to Eat?
Written by Rachel, Posted in Thoughts
To preface this post (I just remembered that I used to read that word as “pre” “face”… haha), I don’t have children. I’m not an expert on anything to do with kids. These are my thoughts and opinions, based on things I’ve read and heard from people who do, and having been a kid once myself.
There are many different opinions about what we should eat. We have friends and family who are raising kids and are faced with these very things. I’ve read blog posts that parents write where they talk about their experiences with kids and cooking. So I am curious, fascinated, wondering about some things…
Are kids who help in the kitchen, who are stirring the pancake batter, cracking the eggs, whisking the dressing more prone to eat what they’ve helped to create?
Do kids who grow up with a garden, who help choose what to plant and put the seeds into the ground themselves; who see where their food comes from… are they more willing to try new things?
We had a garden when I was growing up. Every time I pick a green bean or a cherry tomato, still warm from the sun, and pop it into my mouth, I’m taken back to my childhood. When I was really little, I liked to pick the cherry tomatoes. My parents would tell me to pick the ripe ones. So I would go over and pick the white ones. Close, mini Rachel. So close.
I don’t really remember these moments that Mom and Dad captured. But they make my heart happy. Apparently I enjoyed being in the kitchen as a child (and was perhaps a better baker than I am now?!). I’m not sure if this means I wasn’t a picky eater though. Mom? Dad? What do you remember? 😉 I don’t think I liked peas. But really, do any kids like peas?
So here’s what I think about all this. I think that if we have kids, I’d love for them to be involved in the cooking process. I have a garden, and don’t plan to stop growing some of our own food (even though most of our produce comes from Abundant Harvest Organics). I’d even venture to say that I think it’s important to get kids connected with their food and where it comes from. I like the idea of a kid planting a seed, watering it, harvesting the fruit, cooking it, eating it, and hopefully enjoying it. It sounds ideal. But I think it also seems possible. Even if it’s just one tomato plant on the patio of our apartment. We have sunlight and places where we can buy dirt for as long as we’re without a yard. And we have juice pitchers and drinking glasses that can double as watering cans.
But then, that’s just me… This was my experience. No better or worse than any other. But, I’m sure that it played a part in shaping me into who I am today. And for this, I’m thankful.
I agree! My kids are great eaters (they just about polished off a whole cup of quinoa with chicken and broccoli – and I mean a cup of dry quinoa that makes a few cups after it’s cooked!), and I’ve always eaten a variety of foods while pregnant and breastfeeding. I also usually end up cooking dinner with one of them on my hip, and I tell them about the ingredients and let them try some.
You picking the white tomatoes as a kid made me laugh! I taught my oldest to pick cherry tomatoes and eat them right of the plant last summer, but since he didn’t know the names of any colors yet, he definitely gagged and spit out a green one!
This is so great!! And mmmmm, quinoa with chicken and broccoli sounds really yummy! 🙂 I guess the cherry tomato lesson is one that most garden having kids might learn. 🙂