This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Brownberry Organic Bread.

Having your kids be involved in the kitchen and learning to cook is one of the most important skills that you can give them. Cooking is a life skill that will be with them throughout their whole life and involving them at a young age in the cooking and food preparation process has so many valuable benefits. My children have always had an interest in being involved in cooking and I truly believe that it’s made a difference in how they approach new foods and some of the healthy eating habits that we’ve cultivated over the last few years. I’m sharing 5 amazing benefits of cooking with kids below & some valuable tips, so keep reading!

When getting kids involved in the kitchen, start small! From snacks to sandwiches, even just a little exposure to creating and making dishes can lead to some pretty amazing skills and learning experiences. Most days, our kids are pretty hands on when it comes to lunch time and sandwiches are a family favorite for a few reasons:

• Easy
• Nutritious
• Lots of variety

We try to keep our kitchen well stocked with lots of easy and kid-friendly lunch options so that they can get creative and make their own lunches most days. We recently had a chance to try the all-new Brownberry Organic White made with Whole Wheat Bread, and it’s made lunchtime even easier than before.

While my kids aren’t too picky, one of the things that we struggled with in the past was wheat and grain breads (especially because of the texture). The new Brownberry Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread, has an amazing taste and soft and smooth texture that kids love (having a little help from Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse which are on the bread package certainly helps too). The new bread is USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, plant-based and I love that it provides a good source of vitamin A, D and E. It’s a perfect option when looking for an organic bread made with whole wheat for kids!

My kids love the taste of the bread and we no longer have to deal with the crust vs. no crust battle as they eat this variety with no battles! Major mom win for fuller tummies and less waste. Speaking of waste, another major bonus is that Brownberry Organic uses sustainable baking practices like baking with renewable wind energy and continues to support environmental causes by donating 1% of this bread’s revenue as members of 1% for the Planet.

Above are a few of our favorite easy and kid-friendly options.

• Brownberry Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread with peanut butter and fresh berries
• Brownberry Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread with provolone cheese, turkey slices and avocado
• Grilled Brownberry Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread with cheddar and apple slices

5 BENEFITS OF COOKING WITH KIDS:

Parent Child Bonding

Spending time together creating in the kitchen is such a simple and everyday way to bond with your children. It’s a great opportunity to talk about family traditions and recipes that have been passed down and to learn more about cultural experiences when it comes to foods. You can lead by example by helping lead your children to eat healthier and more nutritious foods to create a family commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Engage Multiple Senses

Cooking is a multi-sensory experience which is so great for kids who often learn through all their senses. For kiddos that are a bit more picky, trying new foods can be a nerve-wracking experience. Allowing your kids to be involved in the process by exploring foods in ways besides taste is a great way for them to become more familiar and comfortable with new foods. Let them help wash, cut and the simple act of touching foods throughout the process is an exciting learning experience for them. Engage the sense of smell by having the smell foods before tasting them to pique their interest.

Learn Basic Skills

Cooking skills are so vital and used for a lifetime! Whether it’s the basics of how to clean produce, to learning how to use a knife (there are some great kid-friendly options) – getting them comfortable in the kitchen with adult supervision is such an important lifelong lesson. Most cooking tasks are a fabulous way to develop fine motor skills and improve hand eye coordination as well.

Cooking also offers so many great opportunities for talking about math (measuring, counting, order of doing things), can be used for reading (following a recipe) and also a great way to hone those listening skills.

Encourage Adventurous Eating

When kids are allowed to make choices, especially about foods, they are so much more likely to try new foods and eat what they prepare. Involving them in the process and making choices about the foods they are making can make a world of difference.

Case in point: avocados. My daughter would never try them before, but once it was available for her to make a choice all by herself and to flex her independence, she willingly chose them. Guess what? They’re now one of her favorites!

Kitchen Safety

While you always need to supervise children when in the kitchen, exposing and teaching them basic safety rules such as how to use knives and other kitchen tools safely, using oven mitts and oven safety are so important! It’s important to create tasks that are age appropriate, but with a little creativity there are numerous ways to have kids involved.

Do your kids ever join you in the kitchen? What’s your favorite dish to make together?