Kitchen Kids

Are foodies born or made?Is it nature or nurture that creates baby gourmets? It could be a little of both, especially if parents permit their young ones discover the joy of cooking. Letting them loose in the kitchen and allowing them to cook family meals can not only be a learning experience but also a fun adventure .

This was the subject of the De Gustibus column in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece written by Leslie Kaufman, shows how a teen and a pre teen have become young gourmet chefs. It started with the idea of her and her husband swapping cooking chores with her sons' cleaning up ones.The result is a good lesson in not only cooking but nutrition as well. The boys  not only have to  plan the meals  but also come up with ideas for healthy fare that is beneficial for the entire family.End results? Proud kids and even an even prouder mom. Oh, and some delicious suppers too,

Ms. Kaufman doesn't just let her kids make the usual kid friendly fare like grilled cheese and hot dogs. She lets her boys explore the varied and educational world of international cooking. One night resulted in a shepherd's pie topped with homemade mashed potatoes. Another dinner was an exotic chicken satay. Her eldest even tried his hand at complicated Vietnamese dishes, one called cho which involved pouring a highly seasoned broth over raw steak strips and noodles.Of course Ms Kaufman does go over the menus beforehand to make sure that the chosen dishes are not overly fried or too difficult.

It's a good idea to let kids explore the kitchen at a young age. Doing such not only teaches them about creating a meal but its' nutritional value as well. It also introduces the little ones to the world of good eating.