A good article in today's Cleveland Plain-Dealer talks about the importance of getting kids into the kitchen so they can learn about good nutrition and healthy cooking while still having a good time.
"It's important to introduce children to good food when they're young - to show them that cooking doesn't have to be a chore. It can be fun... With everybody being so busy, we've lost the idea of having fun in the kitchen."
Since so many parents work outside the home today, most kids aren't exposed to cooking with the same frequency as previous generations. Fortunately, an unlikely hero has stepped forward to fill the void... Emeril. That's right; kids who watch the Food Network often become fascinated with cooking.
"'Emeril has had a big influence on kids,' says Vicki Demar, cooking-school coordinator for Viking Culinary Arts Center at Legacy Village. 'And, with two-income households, kids at an earlier age have more responsibility to think about feeding the family or themselves. Cooking is a skill they want to learn earlier.'"