New research has uncovered a significant barrier to family bonding in UK kitchens, with a majority of parents admitting they rarely cook alongside their children.
The Barriers to Family Cooking
Seven in ten British parents confess they don't cook with their children more frequently, primarily citing insufficient time and apprehension about the inevitable mess. A comprehensive survey of 1,000 parents with children aged 6 to 16 revealed that while half genuinely wish they could share this experience with their offspring more regularly, practical concerns stand in their way.
The study, commissioned by Ben's Original, found that 21% of parents find the experience of cooking with children too stressful to undertake regularly. Nearly half (47%) feel they simply don't have enough time in their busy schedules for kitchen activities with their children. A significant quarter of respondents directly attributed their reluctance to concerns about cleaning up afterwards.
Overcoming Kitchen Challenges
The research identified clear solutions that would encourage more family cooking sessions. Thirty-nine per cent of parents said they would happily create meals with their children if there were simply more hours in the day, while 26% expressed a desire for easier, more child-friendly recipes to follow together.
Parenting author Sarah Ockwell-Smith, who has partnered with the rice brand, emphasised the profound benefits of overcoming these hurdles. "Cooking together could be the secret ingredient to happier family mealtimes as it brings them closer and boosts wellbeing," she explained.
"When children feel trusted in the kitchen, they gain confidence and their self-esteem skyrockets. You don't have to prepare anything fancy or complicated - for instance, one of my family's favourites to make was a simple meal of fajitas and rice."
Building Skills and Family Bonds
The research yielded encouraging findings about children's culinary development. The average child who cooks with parents first shows interest in the kitchen at age seven and typically learns to boil an egg by eight years old.
Popular dishes that parents are interested in creating with their children include pizza (41%), pasta bakes (27%), rice dishes (22%), and curries (18%). The effort appears worthwhile, as 78% of parents who do cook with their children reported that these sessions make the family more likely to sit down and eat together afterwards.
Ben's Original has launched limited edition 'Pudsey Packs' across seven of its microwave rice pouches to celebrate pledging £200,000 to BBC Children in Need. The partnership also featured singer and mother-of-two Rachel Stevens taking on a 'Pudsey Cooking Challenge' with young helpers.
Stevens shared her perspective: "I absolutely love cooking with my children - it's one of the best ways to spend quality time together. Even when it gets a bit messy or chaotic, seeing them excited about trying new foods and helping in the kitchen makes it all worth it."
Parents looking to build kitchen confidence gradually can follow this developmental guide:
- Age 3-4: Pour milk and cereal, weigh dry ingredients, make simple sandwiches
- Age 5-6: Make and butter toast, chop softer foods, learn microwave safety
- Age 7-8: Peel vegetables, use a tin opener, boil and scramble eggs
- Age 9+: Prepare simple meals, make pastry from scratch, cook family dinners
With 39% of parents believing their children would like to cook with them more than they currently do, there appears to be significant opportunity for UK families to transform kitchen anxiety into quality bonding time.
