Fifth of UK parents admit they ‘rarely’ cook with their children, poll finds

Lack of ability to cook comes parental failure to teach children basic cooking skills

Children prepare lunch (AFP/Getty Images)

Parents admitted they "rarely" cook with their children, according to a poll.

Researchers who surveyed 2,000 mums and dads of children aged four to 12, found one fifth hardly ever teamed up with their offspring to rustle up a dish, if at all.

Another fifth admitted they never encouraged their children to cook with them - while more than a third believed their kids had no interest in cooking whatsoever.

A quarter of respondents did not rate their children's cooking abilities and claimed they were "not very good" in the kitchen. Despite this, seven in 10 thought cooking helped them to 'bond' with their child.

However, 87 per cent admitted it was important to learn to cook from a young age because it teaches children to become independent in later life.

“Cooking was always such an important part of my childhood, and I was shocked to see so many children aren’t confident in the kitchen and are unable to create basic dishes," said chef and TV presenter Angellica Bell, who had teamed up with Barbie, which commissioned the survey to get children interested in cooking.

The research also found half of respondents thought their child was no better at cooking than they were at the same age.

Three quarters thought their offspring would not know how to cook a family meal by themselves.

However, six in 10 respondents had not taught their children how to scramble, poach or boil an egg.

Measuring and weighing food items – something which should also be covered at school as well as at home – was also found to be alien to 54 per cent of children.

But on the odd occasion children do make it into the kitchen, four in 10 love to bake cakes or bread, and a further third are interested in producing desserts for the family.

For the average primary school child, mum was considered to be the main cooking inspiration.

And modern children were more likely to look to YouTube or the television than school for a bit of help or advice in the kitchen.
SWNS