Toddler Things | Why Cooking Should be One of Them

#1 Knowledge of Food & Food Related Things

There are so many different kinds of food.  There is also a plethora of kitchen gadgets!  When you cook with your child, they get to explore the whole culinary  world!  My toddler knows the name of so many items found in a kitchen.  If I ask her to grab a whisk, she is on it.  If I ask her to grab the flaxseed, she does.  She knows what things are and what they do… and she is only two!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbSCQ70xsKY

#2 Learn About Nutrition

I try to cook as healthily as possible.  For example, when I bake, I replace eggs with flaxseed and sugar with honey or applesauce a lot of time.  These are the recipes that my toddler is learning.  My hope is that she will continue to cook this way and lead a healthy lifestyle!

For recipes with these substitutes check out:

Bonkers Brownies

Crazy for these Oatmeal Crazin “Cookies”

#3 Try New Foods

I have THE PICKIEST toddler ever! I even wrote an article, Nutrition for Kids | 5 Nutrition Sneaking Hacks about how I am able to sneak in things that are good for her! 

However, when we cook she is oddly adventurous with food!  She likes to taste everything!  Check out these pics of her eating a tomato while we were making our Homemade Black Bean Corn Salsa!  I won’t even do that!

#4 Learn a Life Skill

So many people don’t know how to cook.  I find that baffling (however, my mom was also a chef at a 5 star restaurant so we cooked a LOT).  So obviously, as a life skill, cooking can provide an income.  But cooking can do so much more than that.  Cooking is good for:

• You Body: When you know what you are putting into what you are making then you know what you are putting into your body.
• Your Soul: Cooking for yourself and others is soul satisfying.  It gives you a sense of pride to be able to nourish someone else.
• Your Mental Health: Cooking can be a great stress relieving activity.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA15lkfZ_5c

#5 It’s a Math Lesson

Cooking involves measuring and counting.  There are so many opportunities to teach your toddler simple math skills while cooking.  For example, when I bake cookies or muffins with my daughter I have her count and place a certain number or chocolate chips on each cookie or blueberries on each muffin.

#6 It’s a Science Lesson

There are so many chemical reactions involved in cooking.  Your toddler may not grasp the concept of thermal energy or endothermic reactions, however they can watch the effects of the reactions.  Seeing something before and after the reaction takes place is an example of this.   Baking is great for this.  Your toddler will think it is magic! 

#7 Creativity Boosting

Cooking is great for sparking creativity!  From decorating baked goods to seeing what different combinations of food taste like, there are endless possibilities! 

#8 Bonding Activity with Your Toddler

These days it hard for us parents to compete with all the technology that kids have at their fingertips! I find myself constantly having to come up with things that aren’t watching Peppa Pig or playing a game on a screen.  However, cooking activities are easy!  It has to be done multiple times a day anyways and my toddler LOVES to help!  We have such a blast together!

#9 Toddler Sensory Activity

There are so many things to feel, taste, see and smell when you are cooking!  Your toddler will love getting their hands dirty and exploring the world of food!

#10 Builds Confidence in you Toddler

Learning new skills and creating their own food are things to celebrate!  Your toddler will be so proud of themselves!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgEhvFqoDwc

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