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It could be difficult for parents to get their children to start cooking for themselves. They are soon going off to college or work and have to live alone. You are worried as parents that maybe, they would never learn how to cook. Do your children find it silly to come to the kitchen and learn all the quirks of cooking? Well, I have seen many Indian mothers, not letting their sons cook even if they are interested. So it all starts from you mommies! Don’t hold your son back thinking it’s not a man’s job. Whether it is a son or daughter, when your children go out of the house, they have to start living on their own. So, cooking is an integral part of living a complete life.
Remember that your children can’t live on Maggi for the entire week. So, let them learn certain dishes from you. If they aren’t interested to learn, then there are some ways to get them interested in cooking. Here are some cooking tips for teenagers for parents to get their teens interested in cooking.
Top Cooking Tips for Teenagers
1Talk to them
Food is an integral part of any human being. Without food you don’t get to live at all. So, talk to your children as to how important it is making food at home. Talking to them will make them understand the importance of food making. Give them some tips on how to cook a healthy meal while also listening to their views on cooking a meal. Get to know their pulse, get to know what kind of food does they like and give them tips on how to make food making easier and faster. When you give them tips, they will understand easily and will not fuss to make a meal on their own.
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2Plan together
Did you know that when you plan a meal together, your children are not inclined and interested? Well yes, get them interested in making a meal plan together. Sit down and write down all the things you might need for the next meal. When you put down a list of grocery items, kids will know that this is how it is done. They will automatically involve them self in the shopping once you plan.
3Let your teen cook a meal
If you have decided to let your children make food, you should step aside and stop making judgments about what and how she is cooking it. So, sit aside and don’t bother her until she asks for help. If your child is stuck, you can swoop in and take over. Otherwise, let your child decide the menu for the night, cut veggies, cook them and present it to you and the other members. Let your child start small. You don’t have to make her make a lavish grand dinner. It can just be dhal and rice or chapathi and dhal to start off with. When she/he gets a hang of it, it gets easier and interesting too.This is how they will get interested in cooking for themselves.
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4Sit together for dinner
In most Indian houses, this is not what happens. The father comes in late, mother cooks for children and children eat before everyone and go to their rooms. This is a wrong upbringing. When you are a family of three, four or even two, make it a point to sit together and have a meal. When you sit together and eat, you can teach your kids the taste difference, you can appreciate them and encourage them. When others of the family encourage, it is easy to gain interest. This way you can also plan the next day’s meal together and give input to your child.
5Watch food shows
When you watch food shows like ‘American chef’ or ‘Sanjeevam Kapoor’s foodathon’, your child will be interested in the different menu recipes they make. Getting creative is easy for them since they are young and ready to explore. They would love to experiment with their own skills. When you know that your child is exploring something, don’t steal their thunder. Just sit back and see what they are creating. That way you will give your child kitchen space and freedom. When the child knows that you are giving her/him freedom, they will turn it to their advantage and start getting creative.
6Be a role model
Remember that your kids are watching you constantly and you need to induce the healthy living fact in them. Make sure you tell them what an important choice of food is and what isn’t. When they grow up, they will understand themselves, but channeling your views on them is also important
Also know – some eating healthy tips for teenagers
7Make it fun for them
Don’t mock at them if something goes wrong. Don’t discourage them. Instead, make a list of things you want to tell them and stick it in the fridge, but put all the positives first. You have to encourage you the efforts of the child, even if the food is bad. They will learn slowly. So, just make sure you give them words of wisdom and encouragement. They will start doing better. Get creative with food and cooking. Tell them to make a themed cooking recipe for the night. Cook with them. Don’t bother about how neat or not the kitchen is. They will learn all that later. Concentrate more on how to make your cooking more fun and super time. In fact cooking is said to increase the bond between mother and children. So, just enjoy that now!
-Pavithra Ravi
