Teen cooking class

They go out for burgers and fries or make pizzas from scratch with friends. They surf the food court - and discover sushi along the way. Teens want to share meals with their friends and eat whenever and whatever they want. You want them to eat well and to learn to cook. Find out how to nurture their love of food - and encourage them to discover the joys of cooking.

By the time your child turns 13, you might expect that she would occasionally have dinner prepared for you when you arrive home late from work. Unlikely. Teens love to be fed. They may reject your advice, they definitely don't want you to fix their hair, but they do want you to feed them. If you're the one
who does all the cooking, how will your child ever learn to plan and prepare meals? He'll be on his own before you know it, but you're still making the sandwiches he takes to school for lunch.

When children hit adolescence, their focus shifts away from the home and onto the larger community. Your daughter may no longer want to spend an afternoon baking cookies with you, however, she may still want to learn about cooking - just not from her parents. If she wants to take a cooking course with her friends, tell her it's a great idea. Give her a cookbook for Christmas.

If your son mentions that he would like to bake a birthday cake for his girlfriend, hand over the recipe but don't go far away. He may need to ask you what vanilla is or how to crack an egg. Think twice about what you say and don't let a quick quip from you end his culinary education. Take a deep breath and say something encouraging such as, "Yeah, breaking an egg can be tricky. Let's practise with a couple of eggs. We can use them up in an omelette tomorrow."

When your teens complain that there's no food in the house, open your wallet and send them to the grocery store. If your son last entered a supermarket when he sat in the little seat in the shopping cart, it's time he ventured back in. Make the most of his interest in food by having him do the family grocery shopping or make a meal. Even with your list, the groceries he buys may be unusual, and even with your advice, the meal he makes could be less than spectacular. But be encouraging. Help isn't really what you're after. Primarily, you want your child to develop some idea of grocery costs and to be able to put a meal on the table. If he has that knowledge tucked under his belt, you'll feel a lot more comfortable sending him out into the world.