Can your children cook?

[AlwaysCountYourPennies]

I think basic cooking ability is an important life skill. I grew up in a home where my grandmother and mother cooked and passed on their knowledge.
From a young age I remember helping to peel veg, measure ingredients, mash and stir.... as I got older I was able to make a lot of basic meals myself and enjoyed trying new recipes.
When I left home (1985) I soon realised than many of my peers hadn't been taught the skills I had and some of them really struggled with cooking for themselves and spent much more than me on eating out or buying ready meals.
My 17 year old has grown up helping me cook and can confidentiality cook a basic meal.... I taught her as my mother taught me by getting her involved in the kitchen. My brother is a chef so cooking is a family thing!
My 15 year old has sever learning difficulties and autism but he likes to help stir and measure too, he used to eat a very restricted diet but by getting him to help cook things he has been more willing to try new foods.
If you cook who taught you and who is teaching your children?

YABU..... its not an important life skill
YANBU... It is an important life skill

DS (8) loves baking and did a cooking class for an after school activity for a term, which he loved. He made French toast for us after learning how to make it at the class, other than supervising the gas hob with him I let him get on with it by himself. He did a pretty good job! So we bake with him most weekends, although it's so much messier and takes longer with him taking the lead. Not got around to trying to teach him other cooking skills, but once he's a little bit older we'll teach him how to do a few basics like bolognaise, roast dinner a curry, egg fried rice etc. I do think it's something kids need to have a grasp of as when they go to uni/move out etc they are going to find life so much easier if they can make a few easy meals. Thankfully he is really interested in food and cooking so hopefully it won't be too difficult to get him enthusiastic about cooking for us when he's a teen!

Our 11yo can bake a mean batch of cupcakes, and is learning to cook different meals.

She was being picky about food back in the summer so we had a few weeks of Hello Fresh boxes and she picked a couple of meals a week, which we then made together. She can now make those meals from the recipe cards, she’s also very good at the prep too. We’re working on the clearing up.