There can be nothing more satisfying than sitting down to a meal you cooked yourself — when a teenager starts getting involved with cooking it can have huge benefits.
Research shows learning the fundamental skill of cooking is essential to living a happy, healthy, and self-sufficient life and the sooner one learns how to do that the better.
Learning culinary skills, according to one study, highlighted how it can reduce anxiety while fostering creativity and a sense of accomplishment.
Cooking has been proven to improve mood with teens struggling with depression, reducing sadness, hopelessness, and fatigue. It can be used as a therapeutic tool that can help foster positive emotions like pride and a sense of achievement.
Getting your teen started in the kitchen is one of the top life skills they will need for their future, as well as building self-worth.
3 Ways to Start Your Teen’s Culinary Skills
Start simple, however get their interest by choosing foods (meals) they enjoy.
1. Cooking teaches creativity. Culinary skills is a form of art. This will allow your teen to use their senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing) as they work through different recipes and create new dishes. This can be both fun and inspiring — as they try new tasty meals.
As you are teaching your teenager how to cook, it’s a great way to pass on their favorite family recipes. It also provides a way for you to learn more about your child and hopefully they will start asking more about the family history and culture.
2. Learning to cook teaches about nutrition and health. Many of today’s young people have taken an interested in healthy eating. Culinary skills is a perfect way to learn more about nutrition and making long term healthy decisions.
Especially if your teen is an athlete, learning about how nutrients in ingredients and the combinations of different foods create more complete proteins is a wonderful way to encourage cooking.
Eating a balanced diet is key to maintaining not only your physical health but also your mental health. This is especially important for teens, whose minds and bodies are still developing.
3. Friends, friends and friends. Food is the perfect human connector and a way to bring people together. Expanding your culinary skills to your friends by having them over for some of your treats is a great way to create lasting bonds.
Cooking is a rewarding activity where teens can enjoy the success of their labor in a quick and effective way. Sharing their cooking with their friends can be the best ways to not only feel good about themselves, but enjoy the rewards of acquiring their new culinary skills.
Whether it’s cooking up a full meal for the family or baking cookies for your friends or neighbors – food becomes not only a source of nourishment but a quiet act of healing—one meal, one moment, one connection at a time.
Also read:
How Ranching Helps Troubled Teens
Image credit: Freepik, Drazen Zigic
