Cooking is an important life skill, and teaching your teenager how to cook is a great way for you to bond. It teaches them essential skills that will serve them well into adulthood and provides a space for meaningful conversations about food choices and healthy habits. It also helps you bond with your teenager and help prevent your teen from using alcohol and other drugs. The 2021 youth survey in Cortland County reported that students who reported feeling close to their parents were less likely to report binge drinking or smoking cannabis in the past 30 days.1 Here are some of the additional benefits of having your teen help out in the kitchen.
Healthy Eating Habits
Cooking with your teen can be a great opportunity to introduce them to healthy eating habits. When they’re involved in the preparation process, they’ll be more engaged and curious about trying new foods. You can also use this time to talk about nutrition and why certain ingredients are better than others. Studies show that people who make their meals at home rather than going out to eat, consume fewer carbohydrates, fewer sugars, and less fat.3 Avoiding those types of food can translate into a lower chance of developing obesity, heart problems, and other chronic conditions.3 By getting your teen involved in grocery shopping and meal planning, they’ll be more likely to make healthier choices when they’re on their own.
Life Skills
Cooking teaches teens valuable life skills that they can use throughout their lives – from following directions to measuring ingredients correctly, these are all important skills that will come in handy down the road. It also gives them a chance to practice problem-solving since cooking involves overcoming obstacles like overcooking something or fixing mistakes along the way. This may be beneficial in the future, as it allows your teen to figure out how to make meals if they have restricted time, fewer materials, or just want to try a new dish!2 Additionally, teens learn budgeting skills when grocery shopping and meal planning – which is especially important if you have multiple children at home!
Bonding Time & Quality Conversations
One of the most significant advantages of cooking with your teen is that it provides you with one-on-one bonding time together without distractions. This time together can be used for meaningful conversations about what’s going on in their lives or just catching up with each other on a deeper level than usual. Bonding with your teen also will have extremely beneficial effects on their mental health. According to the 2021 youth survey in Cortland County, teens who reported that they enjoyed spending time with their mom were less likely to report depressive symptoms.1 It’s also a great way to show them how much you care by taking an interest in something that they enjoy doing – whether it’s baking cookies or making dinner together!
Cooking with your teen is an amazing opportunity both for you and them! Whether it’s teaching them essential life skills or providing quality bonding time, there are so many benefits from getting in the kitchen together. Plus, it’s fun – who doesn’t love delicious food? So get cooking today! Your teen (and stomach) will thank you later
References
- Cortland Area Communities That Care (CACTC). Results and Analysis: The 2022 Cortland County Youth Survey. https://www.cortlandareactc.org/publications.Febrary, 2023.
- Nomster Chef. (2019, November 4). Learning through cooking: Problem-solving: Fun Food Recipes for kids to make for Healthy Eating. Nomster Chef. https://www.nomsterchef.com/blog-source/learning-through-cooking-problem-solving#:~:text=Food%20preparation%20is%20an%20opportunity,due%20to%20everyday%20life%20challenges
- Study suggests home cooking is a main ingredient in healthier diet. Center for a Livable Future. (n.d.). https://clf.jhsph.edu/about-us/news/news-2014/study-suggests-home-cooking-main-ingredient-healthier-diet#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWhen%20people%20cook%20most%20of,lead%20author%20of%20the%20study
