This topic is one I’m passionate about for a couple of reasons. First, cooking is something I enjoy and getting to share that Hailey has been just plain fun. I look forward to family time down the road with Hailey, Kaitlyn, David and I all playing in the kitchen with a bottle of wine (for the adults only obviously) working to put together dinner (cue up that cheesy movie scene of tossing flour and giggling with each other) before a family movie night.
It’s also important to me because I want my girls to be comfortable preparing healthy foods and knowing where they come from. I’ve seen the Jamie Oliver video of 1st graders trying to identify vegetables and while I’m not shocked by it, I think it would be really cool if more kids could identify the veggies. There also are studies that show kids that help in the kitchen are more likely to enjoy fruits and vegetables and eat more of their meals if they are involved as well.
Though we don’t certainly spend all day and every meal prep working together, I do try and get Hailey involved as often as possible, especially while she is so young because she really enjoys it and her mind is such a little sponge right now.
So how does she help?
When she was smaller, I’d give her simple tasks like “rolling out” her own pizza dough.
Or washing and deribbing kale.
If there was no appropriate task, I’d pull out the dry pasta for her to measure and sort.
I’ve had fun explaining to her how we make foods. It’s amazing to watch her mind process the idea of hydrating beans to take them from rock-hard little lumps to something edible for dinner.
There’s so much in it for me to, one benefit being how good it feels to seem like an expert in something (anything!)- ha. Even if it’s just explaining how grinding up cashews makes them into nut butter, Hailey thinks it’s really cool that I know how to do that.
Now that she is getting a little older, she has been able to advance to more complicated tasks, like pounding the chicken.
Or even using the spiralizer (ALWAYS with me helping because those blades are sharp!)
Her giggles over zoodles were pretty awesome.
Our kitchen time is pretty special to me. Not only is it time we get to spend together, but watching her soak it all in is incredible.
Now she’ll grab an avocado at the market and ask to make avocado worms (small pieces of avocado I let her smash with the garlic press to create ‘worms’ which she then licks off the press). She will help me crack an egg and proceed to tell me about the time she went to the farm to get her egg from the chicken. She switches her answer from red peppers to broccoli to peas when I tell her she is in charge of picking her dinner vegetable. She just beams when I ask her to hop up next to me at the counter and is full of pride when she tells Dad that she cooked.
As with anything with kids though, it isn’t always easy. As she has gotten older it’s become a little more challenging for me at times since she wants to help with EVERY task. I find myself working on my patience because I know it’s much more efficient to just do everything myself. I mean, have you ever helped a toddler use a can opener? It’s painfully tedious, but I love that she’s at an age where she does want to spend this time with me and wants to be hands on. Keeping that it mind, I’m learning a little more each day to embrace the mess for the sake of the memories and teaching her about how fun and delicious real food can be.
Did you help out in the kitchen growing up?
Do you like to have your kids help out in the kitchen?
Tina Muir says
Love this Brittany! I feel very passionate about this too, and I am determined to make sure my kids are involved (when I have them eventually). It is so important as kids learn so much from their parents. Nothing annoys me more than when I see adults telling their kids to eat vegetables….while they are a sitting there with nothing but unhealthy food on their plate! Grr! This is great, and love the pics!
Brittany Dixon says
I definitely believe too that kids learn more from watching their parents than from what they hear them say. Great point about setting a good example!
Sarah@creatingbettertomorrow says
I LOVED helping out in the kitchen – more like probably make a mess 😉 but it was so much fun! Mom used to let me roll dough out all the time and cut bisquits, cookies etc…I loved helping! I even loved washing dishes while standing on the kitchen chair 😉
Karen says
I truly believe if kids help prepare meals they are more likely to eat what they have prepared.
I see this everyday. I allow my daycare children to help with lunch every day and they eat very well. A parent will then ask for a recipe that their child told told them about and I will give it to them, they prepare it at home and the child will not touch it. I always ask, did you let your son/daughter help make it? They always say NO and I tell them that is probably why they did not eat it.
Hailey is very lucky to have such a patient mommy that allows her to help in the kitchen:)
Brittany Dixon says
Oh isn’t that funny! They won’t eat the same recipe if they don’t help. I think that’s great that you put so much work and care into those kids. That’s amazing! And I still think you deserve a pedicure. I’m going to try to talk you into this… 😉
Jessica @Myhealthypassion.com says
I also agree that when kids help in the kitchen and understand where their food is from and are truly apart of picking out their veggies….they will be healthier adults! Kudos to you for taking the time and patience! : ) love it!
Jaclyn @ BumpSweat says
So sweet! I loved helping my grandma in the kitchen. So many memories, especially of cracking eggs to make cookies. How old was she before you let her start helping out?
Brittany Dixon says
I think it evolved naturally since I had her in there in the bumbo while I cooked as soon as she could sit up! Then she would play with the tupperware at my feet and eventually got curious as to what was going on up top, so David built her the stand. I have to get on him about building another for K! 🙂
Sherry says
Great pictures. I remember both you and Kris “helping” in the kitchen. Could that be why your favorite vegetable at age four was artichoke–snipping off the ends of the leaves first, then making the sauce with butter, egg, & lemon juice? Or the “backwards” dinner-when we made cookies (flour everywhere) for dinner and had our “real” dinner after the cookies.
Looks like it worked well–getting the kids involved!
Brittany Dixon says
My mom is a great cook so I was spoiled early 😉 Speaking of… can I put in a request for artichokes next visit?! YUM!
Tori says
I know isn’t that Jamie Oliver video crazy?! I think it’s great you get Hailey so involved in the kitchen, what a cute little kitchen side kick!
Marjorie says
I absolutely loved helping my mom in the kitchen! I owe my love of food/cooking to her influence. Some of my first memories were of her letting me mash potatoes. 🙂
Canon loves to help me too! He demands to smell every spice in my cabinet, and declare “MMMM!” after smelling each one. He like to taste things as I am making them.
I have been jealous of that little stool that David made for Hailey. I need something like that! Most of the time, I think my little guy just wants to see what I am doing and be involved (which I love!). It’s tough to doing everything one handed, and not always safe to sit him up on the countertop.
Kathy says
What an awesome job mom!!! It is great too that she is so interested. I wonder who she gets that from? 🙂
Laura @ FitMamaLove says
This is great! My son loves to help in the kitchen–one of his favorites is deribbing kale. 🙂 I try to include him as much as possible, but lately, I’m frequently in a hurry and have been trying to do most things myself, especially since little sister wants to help him too, but she’s more at the age of being in the way. It’s fun when I do include him, though. He’s 4 and can cook scrambled eggs all by himself–I just set out all the ingredients and tools and light the stove for him (and stand nearby, of course!).
Brittany Dixon says
I’m impressed with the eggs!! I look forward to Hailey learning to do more safely as she gets older. Maybe it will help us move along more quickly too because some tasks just dragggg out 😉
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
I LOVE this! I just wish I could get my little guy to EAT food instead of spitting it at me right now.. lol!
GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth says
I didn’t really start helping in the kitchen until I was about 11 or 12. My mother’s arthritis got really bad at that point (she was diagnosed in her early 20s) and she couldn’t do most of the tasks.
I had to learn how to make family favourites fast so we could eat the stuff we enjoyed, instead of eating out all the time 😕
When I have kids, they’re definitely gonna be in the kitchen with me. Although, I’ve been thinking lately how cool it’ll be to marry a chef, so maybe they’ll be in the kitchen with daddy haha
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
I completely agree with you- so many learning (and bonding) opportunities in the kitchen! These days, L is less interested in helping with dinner but she loves any kind of baking project, and is also becoming really helpful with helping to set the table, which I love!
Erica says
Hi Brittany! I’m a new follower – love your blog. I have an almost two-year-old and have yet to get her involved in the kitchen but this post is inspring me to do so. I usually just have her snacking at the table while we cook (probably not the best idea before dinner). One question – what is Hailey standing in that gets her up to counter height? Is that her high chair? If so, where did you get it? Thanks! Cute pics!
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Erica! Hailey is standing on a stand that David built for her. I had showed David a picture of the Learning Tower (http://www.littlepartners.com/) and he decided he could make it for much cheaper (they are kind of pricey). I’ve heard people have luck sometimes finding them on craigslist though!
Kristen says
I love this, but I struggle to figure out how to put Addie in a position where she could help (or even just watch … she’s still only 15 months right now). Maybe it will be easier when she gets a little older. But right now, I don’t trust her on the counters. She’ll just slide herself right off and onto the hard floors! And same with letting her stand on a chair … she wouldn’t understand the fact that she needs to be careful. Do you think they get better with this concept when they get closer to 2 years??
Brittany Dixon says
Definitely easier as they get older! H played at my feet with tupperware for a long time, then slowly started to show more interest. Dry pasta was a big hit early on too, though just make sure they don’t eat it! 😉
Jen says
I am so, so impressed by all that Hailey can do in the kitchen! Wyatt honestly has no desire to help me cook unless there’s chocolate chips involved. Funny how that works, huh? I’m hoping to have more success with Hadley!
Sarah says
I LOVE having Nolan help out in the kitchen. It takes a little more patience, to be sure, but he loves it and really connects to his food that way- the same with gardening and going to the farmers market!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Yes, love this and totally agree with you. Lately I’ve been sitting Hunter on the counter (while I’m standing right near him of course) to let him help with certain things, but I’d love to get one of those things that Hailey is standing on! Where did you get it?!
Danica @ It's Progression says
First of all, that video of Jamie Oliver and those kids seriously makes me want to cry. It was so hard for me to watch his show!
And secondly, I LOVE this post. You’re such a great mom, and this is exactly how I hope to be with my kids in the kitchen someday!
Giselle says
It’s so interesting the difference between boys and girls. While my son loves to help in the kitchen and I try all the time he doesn’t last long. Really he just wants to eat everything! But it’s fun to have him help and explain to him how things work. Yes, those blades are so sharp! I’ve had a few slices since investing in one. Yikes!
char eats greens says
I LOVE THIS!!! And it makes me SO excited for Nia to get older and help me too!! She already wants to be involved and around me when I’m making meals, so that must be a good sign! I absolutely need to know where you got that little stand for Hailey though!! I want for Nia (and was actually meaning to ask you about it because I loved it!)!!
Nancy @ WeightLossShakesx.net says
I allow my son to help me in the kitchen from time to time. He especially likes to “play with” dough. So I’m even planning to do interesting activity that I’ve come across on education website regarding baking rolls in the form of dinosaur bones 🙂
I think kitchen is a good place to develop creativity in our children 🙂
Elle says
This is so cool!!! More parents need to read how easy it is to incorporate their kids in the kitchen!
Caitlin says
I love this post! It’s so great to see her love of cooking and love for food come through because of your patience. Letting my daughter help in the kitchen really helped overcome some of her developing pickiness (http://www.trainedbytoddlers.com/how-to-change-your-picky-eating-child/). It’s hard work, but it’s awesome to see their excitement!