The Ben’s Beginners Survey has revealed that Irish children are not as well equipped for the kitchen as they should be. The survey showed that although parents are aware of the importance of developing cooking skills they do not involve their children in the meal preparation process on a regular basis.
The research, which was conducted with children (aged 4-10 years) and parents reveals a stark disparity between parents’ understanding of their children’s cookery skills and children’s knowledge of kitchen basics. Over two thirds of parents (69%) claim their children have age appropriate cooking skills, yet more than half of children surveyed did not know what a vegetable peeler was for (59%) and have never used one (55%).
As a result, this years edition of the Ben’s Beginners programme launches 'Cook & Play', a free online course designed to help develop kids cooking skills while supporting motor, maths and teamwork learning.
Cook & Play with Ben’s Beginners aims to encourage mums and dads to involve their children in cooking daily meals. The aim is for both children and parents to learn new recipes and develop cooking skills while having fun in the process. The programme is increasingly relevant as one in four children in Ireland are overweight or obese.
Ben’s Beginners ambassador and mother of two Lucy Kennedy said: "Cooking with my kids is something I want to do more of but sometimes I don’t have the time and then when I do I’m not sure what jobs the kids can take on. But, I tried the Cook & Play course with Jack and Holly and we really loved it! It’s easy and fun, and what’s more, we are all learning - me included."
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Miyuki Nakano
