Benefits of Cooking with Toddlers

Did you know?! Cooking with your toddler goes beyond getting food on the table it can provide many positive health outcomes.

Cooking with your toddler may seem like an overwhelming and messy task. And it’s true! But did you know that there are many positive health benefits to cooking together?  Families who cook together have children (and parents) who are healthier physically, emotionally and socially. Cooking is also a great educational tool. Especially now, when many of us have kids off for school for many weeks. 

Cooking with your toddler allows families to cook together and grow together. In our busy day-to-day world there is very little time left in the day to connect. But one thing we all have to do is eat, and to eat we need to cook!

Even if it’s once a day or once a week having this time together can help your child’s physical, emotional and social health.  Preparing and cooking foods is a positive, low pressure environment where toddlers can be exposed to new flavors, and textures. More food exposure can lead to increased food acceptance.  Giving toddlers and children tasks they can accomplish based on their skill level will help increase their self-esteem and confidence in the kitchen but also as a person. These tasks related to food preparation and cooking also help your child build developmental skills they will need to be successful in their day to day lives, at school, and as an adult.

Physical Health Benefits to Cooking with Toddlers

• Eat a larger variety of foods
• Accept more foods
• Decreased picky/selective eating
• Improved developmental skills including motor, cognitive, organizational and language skills.

Emotional/Mental Health Benefits to Cooking with Toddlers

• Improved self-esteem and confidence
• Positive body image
• self-acceptance/ self-worth
• Feelings of togetherness/connection with family
• Happier
• Better behaved
• More successful in school

Social Health Benefits to Cooking with Toddlers

• More successful making friends
• Learn how to converse with others

Looking for additional resources to help you get started in the kitchen with your Toddler? Check out my Cooking with Kid’s E-Book! Full of my favorite kid friendly kitchen tools, list of age appropriate tasks, kitchen activities, and step-by-step recipes!

Be sure to join my Facebook Group Cooking with Kids to see what others are doing with their kids and share your experience!