Getting your children into the kitchen, exploring ingredients and cooking together is a great way to get them interested in food.  Cooking with your children from an early age also means they’ll be much more likely to eat and try new foods.  Chances are they won’t need much encouraging! Organix have come up with some tips to get little ones in the kitchen.

Little ones are more likely to eat foods they’ve helped cook #SmallWins     

8 top tips for cooking with little ones

1. Take the time: Cooking with toddlers takes longer than you think so allow plenty of time.
2. Keep them busy: Choose simple recipes they can get involved in. Anything that takes too long or is too complicated is only going to end in bored tears.
3. Ask for ideas:Imagine never being able to deviate from a recipe? Life would be boring. It’s the same for kids. If they suggest adding a little onion to a dish why not try it?
4. Tiny tastes: Let them taste as you go. Trying new flavours and ingredients will keep little ones enthused and encourage them to eat the food when it’s ready. From shop to plate: A meal is like a good story with a beginning, a middle and an end. It starts with planning and shopping, then the cooking and ends with laying the table, taking drinks orders (let your little one enjoy playing waiter) and clearing plates.
5. Mess makes for fun: Get a little messy. Let your little one get hands on, squashing and squeezing so they enjoy the experience and want to help out again.
6. Mini me: Child size utensils, like a small sieve, a tiny wooden spoon and a small whisk are great. Or a tablespoon and a cereal bowl are just as good.
7. Play dress up! If your budget allows – buy a small apron, maybe even a hat. Children love dressing up!

10 jobs for little chefs

1. Cracking eggs: Tap the centre of the egg over the rim of a bowl, then use thumbs to pull the two halves apart.
2. Decorating gingerbread men: Get creative with coloured icing and toppings.
3. Kneading and rolling out dough: Use a rolling pin to make a pizza base or pastry.
4. Cutting out shapes: Use fun shaped cookie cutters
5. Using a sieve: Hold it over a large bowl, gently shaking until all the flour or icing sugar is sieved through.
6. Cutting soft fruit: Use a non-sharp knife to slice a banana (make sure they’re supervised!).
7. Rubbing in: Use fingertips to rub in butter and flour for crumble.
8. Mashing: Mash bananas with the back of a fork – great for banana cake – or potatoes with a potato masher.
9. Rinsing: Run veggies under cold water to rinse them.
10. Sprinkling: Add herbs and spices for a little more flavour.