How to Get Children Involved in Cooking Whole Foods and Salmon
Getting children excited about cooking feels like an uphill battle for many parents today. Between busy schedules, picky eating habits, and the convenience of processed foods, involving kids in meal preparation can seem overwhelming.
You worry about the mess, the time it takes, and whether your efforts will lead to healthier eating habits. Meanwhile, you’re bombarded with conflicting nutrition information. Are whole foods worth the extra effort and expense?
Meet Anca Toderic, a professional recipe developer and chef who recently joined us on our MOWI podcast. Anca grew up in Romania until age seven before falling in love with American cuisine as a teenager. Her unique perspective combines the farm-to-table traditions of her Romanian childhood, including seasonal eating, bone broth, and fermented vegetables, with modern recipe development expertise. Today, she hosts the “Cooking with Teens” podcast and has built a career around making cooking accessible and enjoyable for families.
Based on our conversations with Anca, here are practical ways to involve children in cooking while embracing the benefits of nutritious whole-food ingredients like salmon.
Are Whole Foods Healthier?
The short answer is yes. Whole foods provide significant health advantages that processed alternatives simply cannot match. Real food is defined as food as close to its natural state as possible, primarily unprocessed, free of chemical additives, and rich in nutrients. This aligns perfectly with the Romanian food traditions that shaped Anca’s early understanding of nutrition.
Packed With Nutrition
Whole foods offer several key benefits that make them superior choices for growing families. They’re loaded with nutrients that unprocessed animal and plant foods provide, including vitamins and minerals essential for optimal health. For instance, just one cup of red bell peppers, kiwi, or orange slices contains more than 100% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin C.
Whole foods stand out for their nutrient density, meaning they’re rich in essential nutrients without empty calories, promoting overall health. They also provide natural fiber that aids digestion, weight management, heart health, and antioxidants that combat free radicals and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
How to Get Children Involved in Cooking
Anca’s “Cooking with Teens” podcast emerged from her understanding that cooking skills directly relate to healthy food choices and that it’s never too early to start teaching these valuable life lessons. The key lies in understanding age-appropriate involvement and setting realistic expectations.
For the youngest children (ages 0-3), focus on observing and exploring. Let them look at, smell, taste, and touch ingredients, allowing them to explore with all their senses. You’re building curiosity rather than expecting actual cooking skills at this stage. Talk to them about shapes, colors, tastes, and textures of different foods, explaining what you’re doing and why as you cook.
As children grow, they’re ready to experiment and collaborate more meaningfully. They can measure wet and dry ingredients, begin to read and follow recipes with help, grate cheeses, crack eggs into a separate bowl, and help with school lunches.
Older children can handle planning and multitasking responsibilities. They can plan menus, write shopping lists, read and follow recipes independently, multitask dinner duties, and use most kitchen tools and appliances with supervision. At this stage, they’re developing genuine cooking skills that will serve them throughout life.
Building Food Traditions
Anca’s Romanian heritage provided her with food wisdom that many modern families have lost. Traditional practices like making bone broth, fermenting vegetables, and eating seasonally aren’t just cultural traditions; they represent time-tested approaches to nutrition.
The concept of seasonal eating, which was a practical necessity in Anca’s childhood in Romania, supports optimal nutrition. Seasonal foods are typically fresher, more nutrient-dense, and often more affordable than out-of-season alternatives shipped from distant locations.
Creating family food memories through cooking together serves multiple purposes beyond nutrition education. It builds family bonds, teaches practical life skills, and helps children develop positive relationships with food that can last a lifetime.
Salmon Health Benefits for Growing Families
Salmon offers an exceptional nutritional profile that supports growing children’s development. Salmon’s health benefits make it an ideal protein choice for families focusing on whole foods nutrition.
Salmon’s Nutrition Supports Brain and Heart Health
Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, which support brain development, cognitive function, and heart health. These essential fats play crucial roles in children’s neurological development and can support learning and memory formation.
Clean, Healthy Protein
The protein content in a salmon fillet or burger helps children feel satisfied longer, supporting healthy weight management and providing steady energy throughout the day. Unlike many processed protein sources, salmon delivers these nutrients without artificial additives or excessive sodium.
Kids Can Help
When involving children in salmon preparation, start with simple techniques that build their confidence. Young children can help rinse the fish, pat it dry with paper towels, or sprinkle seasonings. Older children can learn proper knife skills for vegetables accompanying salmon dishes, or help with marinades and seasoning combinations.
Cooking salmon also provides opportunities to discuss sustainable food choices and the importance of knowing where our food comes from. These values align with both Anca’s philosophy and whole foods principles.
Start Your Family Cooking Journey
Beginning your family’s cooking journey doesn’t require dramatic changes overnight. Start small with age-appropriate tasks that build confidence for you and your children. Choose simple recipes with minimal ingredients initially, focusing on success rather than complexity.
Set realistic expectations about mess and time investment. Yes, cooking with children takes longer and creates more cleanup, but the long-term benefits outweigh these temporary inconveniences. Remember that you’re investing in life skills, family bonds, and healthy eating habits that will benefit your children for decades.
Create a safe, organized environment where children can participate successfully. This might mean having a sturdy step stool, child-safe knives, and a designated workspace at their height. Preparation makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Most importantly, focus on the process rather than perfect results. Children learn through experimentation and even mistakes. Celebrate their contributions and enthusiasm rather than critiquing their technique.
MOWI’s Commitment to Family Nutrition
Anca’s journey from Romanian farm-to-table traditions to modern recipe development illustrates how quality ingredients form the foundation of family nutrition. MOWI’s commitment to sustainable salmon farming supports families like yours in accessing premium nutrition while teaching children to value food quality and environmental responsibility.
References
https://decodingseafoodbymowi.us/modern-village-raising-teens-in-the-kitchen/
https://healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov/chefTraining.aspx?linkId=3
https://heykidswhatsfordinner.com/kids-can-cook-guide-to-cooking-skills-by-age/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/21-reasons-to-eat-real-food
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8040993/is-salmon-good-for-you/
https://www.youtube.com/@thebuttertable
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/salmon-nutrition-and-health-benefits
