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Teens Going to College Soon? Teach Them To Cook!

By Sarah Hunt, AZFB Communications Intern

 

 

I remember when I was 18 and went grocery shopping with my mom after she helped me move into my first apartment. We got a bunch of good things, but I thought, how am I going to put all these ingredients together every day to make delicious and nutritious meals?

Thankfully, my mom had already taught me a lot of good, easy tips for making meals and snacks. But cooking is definitely a skill we are all always improving, refining, and learning more about! Read my top tips for teaching your teen to cook below.

 

  • Teach them about the USDA’s MyPlate! It’s important to know how much protein, vegetables, grains, dairy, and fruit they should have on their plate for each meal. This will help them have the energy they need to help them get through their busy day of classes and studying.
  • Make sure they have all the right kitchen tools: pots, knifes, and pans of varying sizes, a crockpot, blender, microwave, cutting boards, silverware, various kitchen utensils, oven mitts, tea towels, cups, bowls, plates, and a colander.
  • Once they know the right portions and have all their tools, teach them how to cook each of the 5 food groups on MyPlate.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Using Dairy: check out these easy ways to incorporate dairy!
    • Add a moderate amount of butter to vegetables
    • Drink a glass of milk (or chocolate milk) with a meal
    • Make a charcuterie board with various cheese (see here)
    • Eat cottage cheese as a side or add cream cheese to a whole grain bagel

 

Find more delicious, easy recipes for your teen to make on Fill Your Plate’s recipe database!

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