Cooking With Teenagers
Is it difficult for you to live with your adolescent son? Do you want to have a good time with him? A good way to do this is to cook with teens. In this article we talk about it.
Benefits of cooking with teens
Change of habits and better health
Most of the intervention programs carried out in different countries have obtained very good results. First, you can improve your eating habits. Generally, they tend to consume fast food, soft drinks and pastries very frequently.
Instead, they hardly taste fruits, vegetables, greens, and fish. For this reason, the main objective is that they learn to incorporate these foods into their day to day and that they like them. In turn, they improve your health. By letting them participate actively, they increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, since they discover recipes with which to enhance their flavor and are pleasant to the palate.
In addition, it is the perfect opportunity for you to teach them foods that they do not know to encourage them to try them. You can even explain the properties they have so that they are aware of the impact they have on how they feel.
Acquisition of culinary skills
Learning is a process through which knowledge is acquired. Although there are different ways to achieve it, 70% comes from practice.
The fact that you do experiments yourself consolidates the information, since it is retained for a longer period of time and it is easier to assimilate. So, cooking is key, since it allows them to know what utensils to handle, how to use them and the great diversity of existing culinary techniques.
It is essential that you show them that the flavor is closely related to the cut, the way to cook the ingredients, as well as the use of spices. The point is to give it imagination.
Promote values for the day to day
The most outstanding values are teamwork and the strengthening of the relationship, since you can divide the tasks to save time and start a conversation. Ask him how he is feeling and what he wants to cook.
You can even comment on your favorite Netflix movie or series. In this way, you manage to break the barriers that previously separated you, perhaps because he was overwhelmed by asking him what he had done with his friends. It’s okay to be interested as long as you respect their privacy.
In addition, you can simulate a competition with your brother or sister, and make evaluations at the end. Of course, showing him at all times that it does not matter to win or lose, since progress is always generated forward. Even increase your concentration by doing your best to follow the steps and make sure the food comes out delicious.
Mood and well-being
Some of the studies show that teens with culinary skills are at lower risk for depressive symptoms. On the one hand, it is a fun, rewarding and relaxing activity, when preparing a recipe with your favorite ingredients or that has been shared by a friend or someone they follow on social networks.
On the other hand, eating generates pleasure, since it provides us with basic nutrients and energy, and stimulates the secretion of serotonin, a hormone directly related to emotional well-being.
So, below we give you the recipe for a pizza for you to cook with your teenage children. You will love it!
Pizza to cook with teens
Ingredients
- 400 g of whole wheat flour.
- 200 ml of warm water.
- 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil.
- 15 g of fresh yeast.
- Salt.
- Champignons.
- Canned tuna.
- Grated cheese in the form of threads.
- Tomato sauce.
- Oregano.
Elaboration
First, mix the flour in a bowl with the water, oil and yeast with a pinch of salt, until everything is well integrated. Next, it is a matter of kneading with clean hands until it does not stick in the hands. Let it rest for a few minutes. Then, sprinkle the countertop with flour and roll out the dough with the rolling pin. Finally, place it on a tray lined with greaseproof paper.
Once ready, spread the tomato over the dough with the help of a spoon. Add the sliced mushrooms, tuna and finally the cheese and oregano. Finally, bake it for about 15 minutes at 180ºC after preheating the oven.
As far as cooking with teenagers is concerned …
As you have been able to read, cooking is a very stimulating activity for teenagers to have a good time with and with which they gain confidence in themselves and towards you and their siblings, if they have any. What are you waiting for to put it into practice with your children?
