healthy living
Families that cook together…
Strengthen their bonds, work together and learn new skills LEA HANSON
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n today’s busy world, cooking dinner can too often mean throwing a pizza into the oven, picking up take-out, or popping a ready-made lasagna in the microwave. For many parents and caregivers, taking time to prepare a full, nutritious meal might seem impossible between work, school, and after-school activities. After a difficult and busy day, it’s no wonder many adults are inclined to work solo in the kitchen. Sometimes it’s quicker. It’s less messy. It’s often just…easier. But when families cook together, the benefits to everyone make it more than worth the extra cleanup. If you’re not in the habit of cooking together, here are some reasons you’ll want to start: Trish O’Neill, Founder and Owner of the Cooking Studio, www.thecooking-studio.com/, says cooking is becoming a lost art. “Cooking, in and of itself, is a process of loving food and making something taste delicious, O’Neill says. “So, when you think about it in this way, it’s the perfect thing to do with people you love.” FAMILY BONDING First and foremost, cooking together gives families a time to share, bond, and work together. Setting aside a time during which the entire family can work together to create a meal gives us a chance to pause, catch up, and just connect with one another. Considering adding the time for family cooking can be daunting. If this is the case, you might start with just one night a week of family cooking. KIDS DON’T LEARN IT IN SCHOOL As school budgets are cut, fewer and fewer schools are offering home economics and cooking classes. Many of the kitchen skills that were taught 16
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at school are assumed to be taught at home. Additionally, nutrition is something that many schools don’t teach until kids are in middle and high school. Cooking with your kids helps teach them how to eat healthy and make informed choices about food.
allowed) to cut and cook ingredients, but they can help select groceries, set the table, measure ingredients, tear up lettuce for salads, and be taste testers. By involving your kids in an important part of the day, you help build confidence and self-worth.
TEAM FAMILY Your family is a team and reinforcing that bond will only make your unit stronger. Cooking is just like many other projects we do with others; teamwork of almost any kind increases bonding, problem solving, organization, and planning skills. And, there are jobs for everyone, O’Neill says. “No matter the age of your kids, there is always something for everyone to do.” Little kids might not be able (or
PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION Meal preparation includes lots of organization and planning. Meal planning, budgeting, creating grocery lists and time management are all skills that are honed through cooking. We also use our problemsolving skills by cooking whether it’s substituting ingredients on a whim, understanding and/or converting units of measurement, being resilient after making mistakes, and more.