Cooking Kids - Chefs in the Making

The idea of having their kids cooking in the kitchen may prove to be a scary thought for some parents that might be imagining scenarios involving a lot of blood and wailing. However, for kids, cooking is an activity that many of them find interesting and fun. Having a young chef or two in the family can even work out to a harried parent's advantage when vacation time rolls around. Let's say that you're a Disney fan (or that your kids are at least) and have decided to take a trip to Orlando. Consider staying at one of the Disneyworld resorts. They have a number of programs for adults and children, so that everyone in the family can pursue his or her interests, such as sports or dancing and so on. If you need time to yourselves, and you have budding chefs in the family, then the ideal solution is to enroll your kids in a cooking class! Expressly for younger children, Disney chefs will teach them to make simple cakes and other items, which they can later have fun decorating. That would leave you free to lounge by the pool or play golf, or anything else that doesn't involve long lines and thrill rides.

Going Gourmet

If you're a gourmet food fanatic and your kids are old enough to be fans too, consider planning a gourmet food-related vacation as one Food & Wine author did. You can pick your favorite country and cuisine, foods, or restaurants. If you're lucky, you may be able to find cooking classes for kids in the area with a bit of research.

Cooking with the TV

Although many parents no doubt want their kids watching less TV instead of more, they might want to make an exception for Chef Emeril Lagasse on The Food Network. A perennial favorite of children, Chef Emeril is very animated and entertaining in the kitchen with his trademark "Bam!" His shows are very family-friendly, and he has written cook books for children as well. Also, teaching your kids about cooking at home can be a learning experience for the both of you. Find a recipe that you're both interested in and have a go. A simple pizza would probably be a good start. Who knows, one day your kids might be cooking for you instead of the other way around. Either way, cooking with kids can be very fun.