Every parent wants the best for their child, but in a world of fast food and sugary snacks it can be difficult to get kids to eat healthily. New research suggests that there is a simple solution - getting them to cook.
A recent study by City University London has shown cooking classes for children and adults encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables. There is also evidence that teaching children to cook helps them identify and like a wider range of foods. Being open to new flavours means children are more willing to eat a varied diet, which we all know is the best kind.
While food technology lessons at school certainly help, a more fun and exciting way to get kids into cooking is to take them to a specialist cookery school in the heart of London. Many of these schools have classes specifically for kids, often held during the school holidays. The classes are run by professional chefs and the meals go far beyond rock cakes and pizza. Children can easily be taught to cook healthy, delicious foods that are full of flavour. Examples of dishes include 'seared salmon with braised vegetables' or 'pear and chocolate crumble'.
Kids will have seen this sort of food on TV, but the children's menus in a lot of restaurants are decidedly poor. Sausage, chips and beans just doesn't cut it, and this is the sort of thing often served in school as well. Jamie Oliver is well known for trying to introduce healthier school dinners. If children and their parents can learn to cook healthy, exciting meals at home, there is less need to have school dinners in the first place. Eating leftovers from the previous evening's well-cooked meal with some fruit can make for a healthy, inexpensive and tasty packed lunch.
Cooking workshops can also help kids make friends, and in interacting with the chefs they are meeting new adults. It is well known that learning outside the classroom can be more effective, simply because it is more memorable and more engaging than a day at school. Another great thing about these activities is that the kids can try to recreate the dishes at home, showing their parents how it's done!
Simply being in a professional quality kitchen can be exciting. Most kids will never have seen the large, stainless steel surfaces and huge ovens, and there is nothing like watching a chef chop vegetables with such finesse. The whole experience can inspire children to want to cook more at home and improve their culinary skills.
If you're wondering how to keep your children occupied during the next holidays, look for a cookery class. Not only does it give them something meaningful and fun to do, it can lead them to make healthier choices in the future.
L'atelier des Chefs offer a huge range of cooking classes for children and adults alike. Their London kitchens are state-of-the-art, and they have professional chefs to teach you the tricks of the trade. Kids Can Cook! lessons last an hour, during which kids produce great quality dishes such as 'chicken and mushroom en croute' and 'smoked paprika chicken with chorizo'. Click here