(Published on Medium April 2021, in collaboration with Smartblogger.)
Let’s face it. A clueless teenage cook is terrifying.
You’re right to dread a battle of wills in a messy kitchen where something’s burning.
But once the smoke clears, you will see that this is really an opportunity. Grab this chance to teach your teen a valuable life skill that promotes health and is cost effective. It will boost their confidence and reinforce independence.
Prepare to be exasperated and impressed in unexpected places. You end up learning as much as they do.
1. Teenage cooks do embrace healthy options
At first, teenage cooks adore processed ingredients. A sloppy, quick fix solution suits their distracted impatience. The good news is, this changes.
Cooking makes them demanding. They begin to see fresh produce as an interesting ally in creating a more appealing, flavourful plate of food. (Which just happens to be healthier.)
Teaching a teenager basic kitchen skills takes patience, but it’s a vital foundation. It enables them to tackle whole food preparation with confidence.
2. They celebrate the new and unusual in food
Older teenagers are great at this. Their favourite foods change constantly, but they are consistently bold and aim to eat with great diversity.
Their enthusiastic experimenting with herbs, spices and condiments banishes the bland and transforms every day potatoes, beans, pasta or rice.
Praise this exotic flair, even if your taste buds are still on fire. Giving your teen plenty of creative leeway means they wont get bored.
3. Let it Burn!
Once they gain some experience, give them space and try not to interfere constantly. Always step in where health and safety are concerned, of course.
Teenage cooks have lots of ideas — good, bad and ugly! Often you will know better, but let them try things out. Overloading them with alternatives is tedious, not helpful.
Food will burn and dishes will be ruined, but kitchen mishaps are great teachers. Always be positive and supportive, it’s important that they dont fear failure.
4. They know more than you think
Here’s where a teen’s love of technology pays off. Watching chefs and home cooks online is an enjoyable, relaxing way for them to learn and get ideas.
You learn a lot about food production and the environment from an informed youngster. Their generation is mindful of recycling, waste and supporting local suppliers.
A teenage foodie finds the culinary world intriguing and fun. Look forward to some entertaining conversations — it isn’t all about sweating in the kitchen.
5. Your kitchen is a workspace, not a museum
Let a teenager loose in your gleaming, well-stocked kitchen and you may return to a pile of greasy pans and empty milk cartons sitting in the fridge.
Know that they will tackle this with all the clumsiness, forgetfulness and wild abandon that is the teenage way. Be tolerant and save your sanity!
Put those dreams of perfect order on hold and keep reminding your young novice to clean up, even if it’s not right away.
6. A teenage cook makes your life easier
It’s true! The key is to keep them aware and involved and not just with the fun stuff. Don’t give them free passes on kitchen tasks they avoid.
Challenge them to think ahead, makes lists, plan and shop — whether it’s for easy week night dinners or ambitious special occasions.
Encourage this all round responsibility and gain a reliable helper. They enjoy taking over without assistance, so let them get on with it.
7. You lose control and that’s OK
Teenage balance comes and goes. Suddenly they cook less, ignore mealtimes and snack instead. For parents, this is frustrating.
Here’s the thing: don’t agonise over it. As long as they are active and bad habits don’t become fixed, be flexible. This is give and take, not giving in.
Pick the battles you feel are important and avoid constant confrontations about food. What’s disruptive to you makes sense to the teenage brain — such as it is!
In a cooler, calmer kitchen and beyond
Cooking with someone you love means really getting to know them. Through trial and error, you come to understand each other better and a more effective working relationship develops.
You’ll be surprised what you can master along the way. Learn to be three times more patient and open minded than comes naturally. You’ll listen better, lighten up and see the funny side of things more.
Armed with hard won experience and know-how, your teenage cook will forge ahead and expand their food horizons. In my house, this still takes place in a pretty messy kitchen, but that’s fine.
I can be cool about that for a while longer…