[#5in2005]

How old were you when you learned to cook? Who taught you?


It's my next mission in life to teach my children how to cook, 1 because it's important to know how and 2 then I don't have to.


I was 12 when I learnt how to cook, my mom was pregnant and was either on bedrest or hospitalized, and because I was a girl I was magically expected to know how to cook, without having anyone to teach me. So there were a few not-so-great dinners, but I did it. It never occurred to me or anyone that maybe my older brothers (they were 16 and 17 at the time) should take a turn or help me. After that I cooked dinner all the time.

[Iluvmygirls]

I was 11 and I taught myself to cook because my mom had some problems and was not the best mom and I had to raise my brother and sisters so I had to just learn

[Repti.Mom]

I guess I just taught myself as well, started out with things like mac&cheese. Cooking is something that comes pretty naturally, I just kinda know how long things have to cook, or what to flavor them with. I'm no chef, cooking is just pretty easy

[MyBubRy]

When my mum found out she was sick, she started teaching my sister and I to cook (I was 7 and my sister was 8) but after she died, my late sister in law taught us to cook, but it's something that just comes naturally. It also helps that from the time that I was 9 till 14 we had a cook that cooked for us so she also taught me alot xD.

[mom2many2010]

I'm not sure how old I was when my mom started letting venture into the kitchen. I do know that when I was about 14, I had a bacon grease incident that left me with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my pretty much on my entire left hand and my mom pretty much restricted me in the kitchen after that to very simple basic things.

When I got married I was forced to learn how to cook. I knew what to do but wasn't always good about it turning out right. My kids are probably a little stunted in the cooking department because of what happened to me and the fear that even today I have of certain foods. However, they will not starve, they know enough that if they wanted they could do what needs to be done.

[cnote]

I still can't cook. Crockpots, McCormick seasoning packets, frozen dinners & ordering out are my best friends.

[UrbanMomma]

I learned how to cook around 8-9. I could do dinner parties and whole Thanksgiving meals myself in my early teens. My gma and mom taught me some, then I just learned from reading cookbooks and making "experiments"

[HeavensMom]

I was never taught to cook, my mom always worked a lot and never had time to teach us I guess. I learned after I had #1 but I'm still not too great at it. The food tastes good but I have to follow a recipe.

[MIL2lissy8]

there were 6 of us kids in the house, i was oldest. we were not allowed in the kitchen with out express permission. we did hand wash all the dishes but we were not allowed to cook. when i moved out on my own my sweet friend linda took me under her wing and taught me how to cook. i do use recipes and cook books most of the time unless its a crock pot meal -- then i just dump.

[MarieJ]

I wasn't really taught how to cook, learned mostly in university on mac n cheese and ramen noodles. Its currently one of my biggest mommy stressors in my life, cooking.

[UrbanMomma]

I hardly ever follow recipes anymore. Even for baking. I've been doing it so long I just know.

My two oldest sons can cook and I am working on the next three, showing them little things. No child is leaving my house without at least knowing the basics.

[#5in2005]

Marie, you should check out Sandy Richards book, the Healthy Family. She is from our neck of the woods. so the ingredients she uses are things we actually use and can find around here. She has a great approach to meal planning.

It's interesting to hear what was "normal" for everyone growing up.

[MyBubRy]

I had a few incidences as a kid with my cooking/experimenting that to this day leaves my brothers and anyone who was present for the 'chilli vs nutmeg french toast' incident incredibly wary whenever I say 'I tried something new'.

[pinupmama]

I was young, like 8 or 9, the first time I remember cooking (Ramen, yummers), by the time I was 12 I could make entire meals, just meatloaf, baked chicken, simple stuff. My mom worked 2-3 jobs, so I was usually in charge of getting myself fed, and making sure there was something my mom could eat when she got home too. I pretty much just taught myself, cookbooks, cooking shows (not as good as they are now, but I could find something), ect. I got good at streaching our tiny budget, who knew I was practicing to have six kids?

Janis and Joel can both cook, Joel is an amazing cook actually. And we've been slowly teaching the younger ones. The twins can read and follow recipies, but have to be supervised with stove, and Jane is learning to mesaure and mix and follow recipies.

I started by teaching simple recipies of things they like to eat. Chocolate chip cookies, mac n' cheese, ect. Then I encouraged them to look through cookbooks (or search the net) for recipies that sounded good to them and pick a few out to try.

We rotate who cooks each night too, and usually if its a kids' night to cook, they all end up in the kitchen helping. The cook gets to pick the menu for the night and gets out of clean up duty. It gives me and DF a break from the kitchen too. Which is always nice.

[MarieJ]

I ordered that book from the library, #5, thanks!

I can bake well enough, I did lots of that with my mom but cooking is really stressful. Ours was a meat and potato household, so anything carby or veggie or isn't beef really messes things up. And I'm not a recipe lover since most ask for things I can't get up here or aren't familiar with.