Letting DD cook a meal once a week?

[mumtoateen]

DD(15) studies food tech GCSE and loves cooking, she's bought up the idea before, but just wondering, should I let her?

[Chopsypie]

Definitely!
I took over most of the cooking by 15/16 as I was first in from work

[Iggly]

Yes why on earth not?

I was cooking from about 11/12.

[holmessweetholmes]

Why wouldn't you? I don't see how it could be anything other than a good idea!

[thecuntureshow]

Why wouldn't you? Does she not already help/contribute/make her own food anyway? Bizarre if not!

[Takver]

Of course! In theory dd (12) makes dinner once a week on Sunday evening, though atm she is having day long rehearsals at the weekend so it's dropped of the agenda for the last couple of weeks. My only stipulation is that I get a veto on the food bill, but she's pretty sensible.

[Floundering]

God yes, takes the weight of you & gets her good experience for when she leaves home.

I sat down with both mine at that age & did a few weeks meal plans with their input, stocked up the cupboards & freezer & let them choose one each (at least) to do per week.

No reason why you can't do batches of basic bolognese sauce ,say, that she can then defrost & make into a pasta dish, lasagne or chilli on a night you are in late or MNing with a glass of wine busy.

Also think its a valuable skill for DS' s . Now my eldest is at Uni she's brilliant at budgeting & cooking for herself. It's not the most varied of menus (pasta features heavily) but at least it balances out the crap!

[NoraRobertsismyguiltypleasure]

Yep, I had to cook a meal every week for 6 from the age of 12. There's a lot of meals that really aren't that difficult, especially for a 15 yr old.

[Purpleroxy]

Which meals do you think are suitable?

[Floundering]

Basics first- roasts (not difficult but the co-ordination of the various bits is a good lesson!)

Spag bol, macaroni cheese, curries, chilli, cottage pie, fajitas. Let them choose with you when you meal plan once they have the basics.

[Moreisnnogedag]

I cooked for my dad every meal from about 14 whilst my mom worked away.

[HolgerDanske]

What? Of course! If she wants to it's all the better as she'll happily do it.

Don't understand why you would feel like you shouldn't?

[atticusclaw]

DS1 cooks every weekend and he is nine. Easy things like risotto, curry, pasta.

[ShineSmile]

Of course! It's life long skills cooking.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Of course you should let her, DD1(16) has cooked the odd meal and done some baking since she was 14/15.

DD2(13) isn't quite as confident and declines to operate, our match lit, ancient gas stove in ber own.

Dishes, I'd start with a favourite from school. The one thing DD2 does do is macaroni cheese.

[Delphiniumsblue]

What possible reason could you have for not allowing it?!!

[Delphiniumsblue]

Clear out of the kitchen and leave her to it!

[Chocaholicmonster]

Of course you should let her! In a years time she's legally old enough to live by herself for goodness sake! I don't understand why this would be such a hard decision you'd have to ask the people of MN!

Now's a good age for her to be learning life skills & it's refreshing to see a teenager wanting & willing to do something like this.

[BackforGood]

Why on earth wouldn't you ?

My 3 have all had to cook 1 evening meal a week each since they were 14,12, and 9.
Can't believe you are even asking. Genuinely - why wouldn't you ?

[Clearlymisunderstood]

I was cooking once a week at a minimum from 14. I'd let her choose what she wants to make though as long as she doesn't want ridiculously extravagant ingredients. Spaghetti carbonara was one of the first things I learnt to cook because I liked it but it was something my mum never made.

[DramaAlpaca]

Yes, definitely let her.

My three teen boys each cook one evening meal a week for the family and it's great practice for them.

[fuzzpig]

Yes, do it! About time too :o

[Sassyb0703]

My 12yr old has been cooking family supper once a week since starting secondary school. All family members are expected to pull their weight with cooking. If you are first home/no school/work/uni then your responsibility to get supper under way, leaving it for those out working to do when they come in knackered is not acceptable. This rule applies for all family over age of 11...

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

God yes!

Insist on shoes if there's hot fat, and make sure she washes up the prep utensils.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dd is 12 & loves cooking her 'speciality dish' hone made barbecue chicken with rice & veg, for the family.

I encourage it.

[mumtoateen]

She does food tech GCSE, so thinks she already gets enough practice She does cooking every week