Last Updated on May 11, 2023 by alli
If you’d like to raise an independent daughter, then teaching her how to cook is a great place to start. Cooking is a valuable life skill. It involves planning, prepping and time management. Studies have also shown that people who cook at home tend to have healthier diets. But, in addition to all of this, there is so much more to be gained from cooking! Here are 7 reasons to cook with your daughter.
1. It improves reading skills and word development.
We all know that reading fluency is important. The better reader we are, the more comprehension and understanding we have. This is absolutely the case when it comes to reading and following a recipe! Always ask your daughter to read the recipe out loud to you, as you go. It’s a fantastic (and sneaky) way to get her to practise her reading.
Personally, I have noticed that over time my daughter’s comprehension of certain words has improved greatly. She now knows the difference between sifting, mixing, stirring, folding and much more!
2. Increases knowledge of measurements.
Without a doubt, my daughter’s understanding of measurements has improved due to the baking we have been doing together. When we first started, she didn’t have a good understanding of what a half, quarter or third of a cup would look like. Now she easily identifies them.
Seeing measurements written down on paper in a recipe has also helped her to read the amounts correctly. For example, she now knows that “¼ cup of sugar” is one-quarter of a cup, not 4 cups as she previously thought!
Just a little tip, if your daughter is reading the recipe out to you, and it sounds like too much sugar, it probably is!
3. Teaches patience and focus.
The first few times my daughter baked with me, she rushed everything. Due to her excitement, she’d talk excessively and not pay attention to what she was doing, and as such, her measurements were off. I explained to her that for a recipe to work out, none of the ingredients can be missed and all the measurements must be correct. I told her it was important to take her time and concentrate.
Fast forward to the present day and she is now considerably more focused on the task at hand, paying particular attention to her measurements. Now when she bakes with me there is a noticeable look of concentration on her face because she is determined to get it right.
If you’d like to see your daughter practice patience and focus then I would definitely recommend baking regularly with her.
4. Boosts confidence.
Each time a child completes a task successfully and receives praise for it, the child will gain a boost of confidence and their self-esteem will grow. This is so important because with confidence and self-esteem comes a sense of independence which is vital for them to have as they age.
Making pizza is a fantastic introduction to cooking for a child. You don’t even have to make your dough from scratch, as there are some fantastic pizza bases you can buy directly from the stores. I personally like the cauliflower bases and low-carb, high-protein options. My daughter only recently said to me, that she thinks she’ll soon be able to make the homemade pizzas we usually make together on her own, and I agree.
Each time my partner and I eat something that our daughter has helped to make, we intentionally rave about how fantastic it tastes and looks. Try it with your daughter, you’ll enjoy seeing the sense of pride on her face.
I sometimes also text photos of what my daughter has made to close family members because I know they will always reply by saying how impressed they are. This is another big boost to her confidence.
5. Improves co-ordination and movements.
There are a lot of techniques involved with baking, from sifting, whisking, stirring, pouring, measuring cups, rolling dough, and using cookie cutters. All of these actions are a fantastic way of improving a child’s coordination and movements.
As they get more experience in the kitchen, you’ll see lots of improvements in the way they move about and conduct themselves in the kitchen.
6. It’s a great way to bond.
Cooking is a fantastic way to spend quality time together. You can make it even more fun for your daughter by either,
- buying a special apron for her
- allowing her to choose the recipe
- playing some music in the background
- taking photos or videos of her cooking.
7. Sets them up with life skills for the future.
I believe cooking is an important life skill for all children to have. Cooking is a creative outlet that teaches you how to be safe and responsible in the kitchen. It teaches you to know how to plan ahead, be organised, prepare and most importantly be more inclined to eat healthier. When we cook our own food, we know exactly what we are eating.
Next time you decide to bake with your little girl, try this super easy and tasty recipe that I found on the Minimalist Baker website.
Chocolate Chip and Coconut Almond Meal Cookies
My daughter and I have made this recipe a handful of times and we love it for many reasons.
- The recipe is very easy to follow.
- It’s gluten and wheat free (which is great if you have an allergy or intolerance like me).
- It only requires a few ingredients.
- The cookies only take 10 minutes to bake.
- They taste sensational.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Almond Meal
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the almond meal, dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg.
- Whisk the coconut oil and vanilla extract in with the egg.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together until it is combined.
- Put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (or you can even leave it overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 190C (375 degrees F).
- With clean hands, shape the dough into 1 inch size balls (watch mum make the first one), place it on a baking sheet and press down on it to flatten it a bit. Tip: Make sure you have left enough space between each cookie.
- Bake in the oven until the edges of the cookies start to brown (between 8-10 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and let cool before eating.
Warning, they are moreish… Enjoy!
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