If there is anything I have learned from the Sprouts – Get Out and Grow Program that was launched at Austin Hy-Vee this past summer, it is this: Kids are excited about and want to get involved in cooking.

They are curious to learn about food, and what better time to teach them than when you can have the most impact?

There are many benefits to including children in meal preparation; the key is just inviting them in.

Exposure to scratch cooking helps kids develop a mature palate and a taste for fresh, wholesome ingredients. Start young.

Kids are more likely to eat what they are involved in making. I witnessed this on a weekly basis in the Sprouts garden. As the kids prepared healthy and delicious foods in each class, they took ownership of the cooking and that led to trying the foods. Who wouldn’t want fewer mealtime battles and more willingness to try new foods?

Meals prepared from scratch contain more nutrients on average than prepared foods. When foods are prepared at home and eaten together, the family tends to consume more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

Cooking together provides a natural way to discuss nutrition and teach more about healthy eating. This is a great time to talk about health and ingredients.

The earlier a child learns how to cook, the sooner he/she will develop this essential life skill. By letting your three-year-old break an egg or letting your five-year-old cut a tomato (with a safe knife), you are allowing your child to build self-confidence. Get out a special apron and let your child write the menu.

Spending time in the kitchen lets your child feel a sense of accomplishment and belonging in the family. Cooking is an ideal way to boost self-worth and teach responsibility.

Preparing meals together means more quality time. We all are busy and wanting more time together; cooking allows you to do just that. It could turn into a weekly date night for mom or dad and son or daughter in the kitchen. Not only are you cooking, but you are building a strong connection through communication.

There is so much more that is learned in the kitchen besides cooking — science, language, fractions, budgeting, weighing, sequencing, measuring, problem solving, sharing, reading and learning about other cultures. Where else in the house can this much learning take place?

My recommendation? Implement a weekly night where the kids cook. You will be planting the seeds for healthy habits that will last a lifetime.