The answer varies based on your own child's abilities, but don't underestimate him. All that's really required is the capacity to follow basic instructions ("put this in there") and a lot of patience on your part. Accept that things will take longer with your child helping, and plan accordingly. And by all means, start small. Don't prepare Thanksgiving dinner on your first venture--try dropping berries into a measuring cup, stirring some granola into yogurt, and combining the three. Presto! Your little one has just made breakfast.
We first introduced our daughter to food prep at around eighteen months. I'd slice off a pat of butter and ask her to drop it into a pot of warm noodles, or hand her a wooden spoon and let her slosh it around a bowl of pancake batter. Though these actions seemed insignificant, the level of interest and participation she felt was clear. She wanted to eat everything she touched--be it an onion or a raw egg (note to self: raw eggs not ideal ingredients for toddlers)--and even though she didn't like it all, there was no denying her natural curiosity. Now, at almost four, she can measure a cup of flour, combine salad dressing with a whisk, and crack an egg--without trying to eat it. Culinary school is right around the corner!
Here are some simple tasks to get your toddler started:
- Add pre-measured dry ingredients to a large bowl or pot
- Rip lettuce leaves into small pieces for salad
- Stir sauces and combine ingredients with a spoon (never on the stove!)
- Fill a measuring cup with ingredients that can picked up (nuts, chocolate chips, berries)
- Sprinkle garnishes and toppings on finished dishes
