When can I start cooking?

You’re never too young to start cooking, but to really start doing things on your own, we recommend anywhere from age 8 and older.  The important thing here is building your skills, just like you used to build block towers when you were little.  You couldn’t start at the top, but had to build a solid base, then slowly move upwards from there.

So where do I start?

At the beginning of course!  It’s important to know the tools you’ll be using before you even consider a throwdown with your favorite tv cooking star.  Start with learning about measuring tools and how to use them correctly.  That’s the bottom of your block tower so to speak. Using a liquid measuring cup for, uh, liquids like milk, water, and oil, and a dry measuring cup for, uh, dry ingredients like four and sugar is basic, but super important to making sure your recipes turn out right.

Yeah, but what about the stove? I really, really, really want to cook. Not just stir things.
Ok, I hear you there, but a stove is a dangerous piece of equipment.  It’s got fire and heat and it can be easy to use it wrong and hurt yourself.  Take a look at some of our videos for tips on how to use the stove correctly, and don’t forget, get permission from your grown-up first.I’m not joking here.  If you barrel ahead without the ok from your grown-up, you’re toast.  Grown-Ups take this stuff very seriously.

I saw your list of tools, but I don’t have enough allowance to buy them, and my mom doesn’t have anything on your list.  Now what?
I get that, and I understand that no one has the money to run out and buy everything on the list right away, so ask mom & dad (or grandma and grandpa) for birthdays or whatever other holidays you celebrate.  Make do with what you’ve got.  As your skills improve, your folks will know that you’re serious.

But my grown-up freaks out every time I want to cook by myself! How can I get her to let me start cooking on my own?
Shhhhhh.  Come closer.  I’ve got the secret to how you are going to convince your grown-up in charge that you are ready to cook on your own.

Are you listening?

Start small, and clean up after yourself.

Without being told. And when I say clean up after yourself, I mean the whole mess.  Every little bit.  Load the dishwasher. Scrub the pots and pans. Take apart the blender (carefully please) so that the whole darn thing can get clean.  And I’m not saying this because I’m a mom too.  I’m telling you this because, NO ONE likes cleaning up.  And if you’re willing to do that, then your grown-up will know that you’re serious.

Also, don’t play with knives.  That’s not only dangerous, but it will make them mad too.  And we totally don’t want to make your grown-up mad. Right?

I’ve got that, but I don’t know if it will work or not.
Alright. Then it’s time to pull out the big guns, the one other thing that a grown-up totally can’t resist:  Take charge of dinner.  And when I say take charge of dinner, I mean pull out a cookbook you trust, make a shopping list, offer to shop with her and NOT whine about it, and get ready to show your stuff.  This will require a little advance planning, because you don’t want to throw this out at her in the middle of the week when there’s soccer and dance and fencing and she’s working late. You want to talk to your grown-up at a time when things aren’t too busy so that you can help when she’ll need it most and not catch her at the last minute. Because she hates being caught at the last minute. For real.

Ok then, I’ve finally got permission and I’m ready to cook.  I’ve helped mom with dinner before, I’ve shown her that I’m careful in the kitchen and that I don’t mess around with knives or the stove. I want to plan my first meal, and I’m going to make a hundred different things because they’re all awesome and I’m definitely going to make a couple of desserts.  That’s the right way to do it…right? I’ll blow her away right away!
Well, not quite.  Start simple.  Don’t plan to make a hundred different things and a bunch of desserts.  Even the pros don’t go crazy trying to do it all at once for every dinner.  Maybe you want to make one simple meal with one course, like omelets and a salad, then follow that up with an easy dessert.  If all you cook are sweets, your grown-up isn’t going to be too keen on all the dentist’s bills, so change up what you cook.  BTW – Grown-Ups totally love green veggies. Make some broccoli one night and they’ll be eating out to the palm of your hand.  Our recipes are a good place to start.

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