Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the kitchen. I don’t know about you, but I love it. I think it’s important for children to know how to cook, even if they don’t love it. Even if they want to order takeout every day for the rest of their lives – which is totally doable in NYC – it’s still a skill they should have. Of course, I would rather have them enjoy cooking. It’s a necessary skill, and getting the kids in the kitchen also makes for some wonderful family memories.

I remember helping my mom and my grandmother cook in the kitchen when I was a kid. Even when all I could do was hand them a spice jar or maybe mix something in a bowl, I was excited to help. In fact, some of my favorite memories revolve around the kitchen. Those were magical times full of laughter and joy. They were also filled with a sense of accomplishment when a dish was finally ready, and I knew that I’d help make it. I want to have those kinds of times with my kids, too.

Unfortunately, today’s world moves a thousand miles a minute. Life is faster, video games are everywhere. The kids have practices, friends, and a host of other activities both related and unrelated to school. When we can find time to get our kids in the kitchen, they might not even want to do it. America’s Test Kitchen Kids is making it easy to get kids excited about cooking with their new subscription boxes, and I love it.

Young Chefs’ Club from America’s Test Kitchen Kids is a monthly, themed subscription box that focuses on getting kids excited about being in the kitchen. Geared towards kids 5+, each box helps young chefs understand the hows and whys of food and cooking. This is done through the recipes themselves as well as the STEM projects that go along with those recipes. These projects range in time from 15 minutes to a few hours. The family-friendly recipes satisfy the kids because they are actually kid-tested and approved. That means the kids will be making food that they’ll actually like. That’s the first step to getting them excited about being in the kitchen.

Every month, the box arrives directly to your doorstep. It’s filled with STEM projects, kitchen tools, and access to a large digital library of recipes, experiments, videos, food trivia, and more. In addition, the grocery lists are e-mailed to us parents ahead of time, so we can get everything we need to make sure the recipe and the projects go off without a hitch. It’s a great way to inspire kids to become more active in the kitchen now and in the future. Let’s take a look at this months’ box to give you an example of what parents and kids get with The Young Chefs’ Club kits. This month’s theme is the Taco Truck Box.

Recipes for this month include DIY corn tortillas, chicken Tinga tacos, veggie tacos, pickled red onions, and cabbage slaw. There’s a technique section on how to shred meat. The experiment box for the month is Awesome Avocados and Amazing Acids. Of course, the kids will have the Make It Your Way Challenge (where they make the tacos exactly as they want them). Tools that come with the box include the plastic tortilla squisher and chipotle chile powder. Finally, the kids have three creative projects including Build Your Own Taco Truck, Creat Your Taco Truck Menu, and Color in the Secret Science of Corn Tortillas.

Getting kids in the kitchen makes for great memories and the acquisition of an important life skill, and one of the best ways to do that is with America’s Test Kitchen Kids. Their Young Chefs’ Club Kit subscription box is one of the best ways to get kids inspired to be in the kitchen now and in the future. If you’ve been looking for a new angle to get your kids in the kitchen, this could be it!

photography by Lauren Kara 

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