You’ll need
- Some food to cook, like carrots, pasta, bread, eggs and chocolate
- Some ways to cook the food, like a pan and a stove, a microwave, an oven or a toaster
What to do
- Gather your materials on the kitchen bench.
- Ask your child to use their senses to explore the food items. Ask them what the food looks like, feels like, smells like and tastes like (only if it can be eaten raw!)
- Cook some of the foods using an appropriate method. For example, try boiling some carrots or pasta.
- Encourage your child to observe the cooking process. Get them to think about how the cooked food might look, feel, smell and taste different to when it was uncooked.
- Take out a piece of food before it is fully cooked. Let it cool and allow your child to explore it. Ask them how it has changed.
- Take out a piece of food when it is completely cooked. Let it cool and allow your child to explore it again.
- Get your child to describe the difference between the raw and cooked food, in terms of how it looks, feels, smells and tastes.
Questions to ask
How does time affect cooking? How does the food change at different points during cooking? What happens if you cook the food for too long?
How does temperature affect cooking? Try frying chopped onions on a low heat and on a high heat. How does the onion change in colour, smell and texture?
How does the method of cooking affect the food? Try making toast in the toaster, oven, pan and microwave. How are the pieces of toast different?
Explore how heat can make some foods melt. Put some chocolate or butter in a ziplock bag and place it in simmering water or in the sun, or hold it in your hands. How long does each process take to melt the food?
What's happening
Your child will learn how heat changes different types of foods. They’ll be engaged while watching the cooking process, and using their senses to understand how the food is changing. Being involved in cooking encourages children to experiment with foods and cooking techniques, and helps them develop positive associations with food. It might even encourage them to eat their veggies!
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