Whether you’re an accomplished cook or a newbie in the kitchen, cooking with kids can sound daunting. But it doesn’t have to be, for Aunties who have the inside scoop!

Here is some advice on getting started in the kitchen with your nieces and nephews - this is an excerpt from my new cookbook: "Easy Meals to Cook With Kids."

When working with kids in the kitchen, it’s hard to strike a balance between being too laid-back and too involved, especially if they are struggling with a task. If they are having a hard time, I recommend waiting a minute before stepping in to help. Offer verbal suggestions first, and if that doesn’t work, put your hand over theirs and do the task together. That way, they can learn a new motion or skill. It’s important to help children feel a sense of ownership over a dish – while also making sure that it turns out edible so that they feel successful.

It’s important that your first cooking experience with children is a positive one, so pick a time when everyone is relaxed and well-fed – perhaps a Saturday brunch or a Sunday night dinner.

Start with something familiar. When introducing the concept of cooking to kids, it’s important to start with one of their favorite dishes so that they equate cooking with something they already enjoy. Once they get the hang of it and trust the process, you can graduate to more unusual dishes.

Find assistants. Invite Grandma over or keep your sitter for an extra hour. It’ll be more fun for everyone if there is someone else to help oversee the project and clean up.

Accept that it will get messy. Plan on some mess and you’ll feel less stressed. Kids are great cleaner-uppers so ask them to pitch in. Many kids, as young as two years old, love using a sponge and do a surprisingly good job of wiping up.

Give specific instructions. Kids think very literally, so be extremely clear with them. Years ago, I asked my students to peel carrots and turned around. When I looked again, just minutes later, they had peeled the entire carrot down. (From this experience, I realized it was a safe way for them to “grate” the carrot and continued using that method to prep carrots.)

Roll with the punches. If something goes wrong, just laugh. It’s a good opportunity to teach children how to shrug off mistakes and learn from their blunders. Best of all, that “mistake” could end up being a new recipe idea for family dinners!

Respect their wishes. If they aren’t interested in cooking, it’s okay. The non-cooks can still contribute to the meal in other ways such as washing produce, cleaning off cans, setting the table, folding napkins, deciding which platters to use, garnishing the dishes, clearing the table, and tasting each dish to determine if it needs additional seasoning.

Praise their efforts. They adore making food for family members, so give them lots of compliments when they complete a task well – genuine, well-deserved praise builds self-worth and confidence.

Excerpt from "Easy Meals to Cook With Kids" © 2010. All rights reserved.

Published: October 19, 2010