How to teach teenage dc to cook?

[losenotloose]

I've failed in this area completely. Dc are 15 and 12 and can make a sandwich/toast. I know this is crap so please no criticism but where do I start? Give them a recipe and leave them to it (especially the 15 year old)? Tbh I prefer to just get on with it myself but whenever they're left to their own devices they eat crap and say there was nothing else to eat ie they couldn't be bothered to make an effort and I'm not happy with this.

Any tips greatly received!

Could you involve them in cooking something with you? Or challenge them to make something for the family? There are so many videos that they could learn from.

I would start with having them cook with you, as their confidence increases give them the responsibility to cook a meal once a week (at least).

Give them one night a week each where they are responsible for dinner. They get to choose the recipe, perhaps browse something like bbc good foods. Start simple perhaps pasta. Buy the food and get them to follow the recipe. Be on hand until you’re sure they know what they are doing. Aim for them to have at least half a dozen dishes they can cook on their own.

We get Hello Fresh meals quite often and teen dc enjoy cooking those a lot.

Gusto boxes can be good for this. Let them pick out something they fancy and all the ingredients and instructions come ready.

Great tips, thanks! I think I'll get dc2 to cook with me but dc1 can attempt just following a recipe for now. Will be interesting to see how it goes!

Is Jamie Oliver just a bit too cringe now? His approach used to be quite good fun and easy to follow.

When they get more confident with basic skills, you could introduce some friendly competition (come dine with me style) that could encourage them to try more complicated stuff.

My son wasn’t interested in cooking but I told him we could try and make a scotch egg - his favourite (and much nicer if home made). He loved it and it was the start of his cookery journey Good luck x

First explain that for a lot of cooking you read the instructions on the packaging.
Other than that, let them decide on something that sounds doable, then they can look on-line for the recipe, ask you for the ingredients, and decide what day they'd like to get stuck in.
Let them run the show and just be there to answer questions or help if asked.

Over the summer holidays on weeks when we are at home my dc are responsible for a meal each week which they have to choose and cook (with help if needed)
Ds15 generally does pasta, and ds11 usually goes for something Mexican - quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos - all pretty easy.

Have they done any cooking at school at all? Ds1 did good tech in year 7 and 8.

I'd start with cooking a meal together, as you do it. Say spag Bol, so you can show them a dash of Worcester sauce, for example. Get them to do it and you assist.

Start with teaching individual skills by helping you - knifes, chopping, graters, whisking, mashing, stirring a sauce, browning mince etc. Include cleaning up as you go along. Cooking eggs is good and easy and includes skills - omelette with veg, ham etc.

DD (11) cooks once a week, with help from me if necessary. It's not optional, but she gets to choose what she wants to cook. A month ago she chose apple crumble and custard, which we duly all had for dinner Delicious it was, too! As she gets older, I expect she'll be more adventurous with recipes and more skilled etc.

@WeAllHaveWings is so right.
We forget that we didn't always know what sautéing means, or what oil to use, or how to break an egg.

I’d agree. Just giving the 15 year old a recipe if he’s got no experience and no skills might just be setting him up to fail.

mine cook one day a week. Firstly with my supervision and help, now on their own. They choose what they want to eat and then cook it.
i thought there was no point teaching them stuff they are never going to eat.
I do like to suggest twists- so if they cook chicken curry, i sometimes suggest making it a veg curry one week to expand their repertoire.

I'd start with basics, like onion and garlic are a good base for a lot of foods. Learn some basic herb-food pairings e.g. basil and tomato, lamb and rosemary etc.
Show the key equipment like measuring spoons, scales, different utensils.

Learn how to cook their favourite takeaway?.

Do they use tiktok?
I would lay a challenge down to find a recipe from there and make it for the family. ( or youtube)

We used to have a 'come dine with me' nights and even video comments so everyone would have to make a meal to impress. They were a good laugh. I can't remember what the prizes were. It was something daft and fun!

I got my lad's a student's cook book each as well.
They are both reasonable cooks now.

I've managed to teach ds(12) to cook 5 meals by making and laminating 5 recipe cards. Using them repeatedly and keeping it very simple. He can make...

• An omelette, peas & oven chips
• A burger (bought bun, patty, cheese, guerkin)
• Chicken tray bake ( chicken breasts, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus or olives in one dish in the oven.
• Boiled egg & cheese salad with a salad dressing
• Pasta with tomato, garlic & bacon sauce.

He can also make a decent fruit salad

At least it includes some veg, and he'll eat all of it. And it's all inexpensive so he won't starve.

I think there’s a cookery book by sam stern aimed specifically at teens. I have done if his other books and they’re good, very clear.

I like the Come Dine With Me idea - may try that with my teens!

Maybe start with something easy with instructions? Like a old El Paso fajita kit?
Or a pasta bake from a jar?
Or what’s their ultimate favourite meal- cook it together?
Build up to them picking a recipe and cooking one night a week.

If they can’t cook at all, I would start with weekend breakfasts/brunch type meals. Things that are quick and easy, use basic skills and they could then actually make for themselves as light meals.

I’m thinking doing a cooked breakfast, scrambled and poached eggs, could then do a hollandaise so eggs benedict. Maybe pancakes too.

Then work up to bigger more adventurous meals.