Mess is the reason a quarter of UK parents struggle with kids in the kitchen – as TV chef reveals how to embrace chaos

The Sun

24-06-2025

TV Cook and Presenter Briony May Williams has revealed how to get kids involved in the kitchen – and why embracing the mess is vital.
The baker, who reached the semi-finals of The Great British Bake Off spoke about the importance of getting children invested in each step of making – and eating – a meal, including giving them the title of head chef to feel trusted.
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Top tips include giving little ones - and yourselves - regular breaks to keep them stimulated, compiling a playlist for fun background noise and focusing on a theme.
But it's important to embrace the mess when cooking with kids, the sooner this happens the more relaxed adults will be, and everyone will enjoy the event more.
It comes after a poll of 1,000 parents with kids aged 2-10, found 42 per cent struggle to get their children involved in cooking.
And 23 per cent attempt to make dinner times more fun by creating artwork out of foods.
Briony teamed up with Herta, which commissioned the study, to create a hot dog inspired meal featuring hidden veg ' ketchup ' and crispy carrot toppings.
Cooking alongside her daughter, Nora aged nine, she said: 'Cooking with kids doesn't have to be as stressful as it might seem, encourage them to get involved.
'Let them get stuck in and if you're worried about mess, set up a specific place in the kitchen which children associate with making meals, a sturdy tablecloth will speed up the tidying at the end.
'While social media makes parents feel pressured to make Instagram-able food art, don't feel every meal has to be like this, a firm family favourite like hot dogs or pizza is a great starting point.'
Other ways parents try and get kids to be more involved in the meal-prep process included letting them help choose what's for dinner (51 per cent) or turning the kitchen into a disco (32 per cent).
While 32 per cent will try out new and unusual foods together, and 24 per cent swear by turning mealtimes into themed nights – like Taco Tuesdays, or ' Breakfast for Dinner'.
But one of the key struggles parents experience when trying to get their child involved in cooking is a lack of time (25 per cent).
However, 57 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, consider cooking with their children enjoyable because of the time spent together.
While 46 per cent believe it teaches them valuable life skills, and 40 per cent feel it encourages creativity and independence.
Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) also think getting their little ones involved with cooking helps broaden the foods they're aware of.
As many as 84 per cent believe allowing children to be creative in the kitchen helps them become more confident.
The study went on to find families polled eat their meals together five times per week, with 38 per cent saying 'a lot' of conversation happens at this time.
Child clinical psychologist, Dr Angharad Rudkin, said: 'Our relationship with food is a crucial foundation for our well-being throughout life.
'Giving our children the opportunity to get involved with cooking from a young age will help them feel grown up and capable.
'Although cooking together can take a bit of time and planning, the proof is, literally, in the pudding. '
Gemma Serdet, senior brand manager, for Herta which is offering a Try Me for Free offer until 4th August, said: "It's not only fun to encourage children to get involved with cooking in the kitchen but clearly beneficial too.'
'When it comes to helping kids develop confidence and curiosity, a little mess can go a long way.'
'Letting children get hands-on with food isn't just about fun, it's a great way for them to explore textures, tastes and ingredients in a way that's engaging and memorable.'
TOP 10 REASONS PARENTS STRUGGLE TO GET KIDS INVOLVED IN COOKING:
1. Safety concerns
2. Difficulty keeping children engaged or focused during cooking
3. Lack of time to cook together
4. A struggle with balancing cooking and other responsibilities
5. Children prefer to eat prepared food rather than cook
6. They feel children are too young to help with cooking
7. Frustration with a child's reluctance to try new things
8. It's hard to find easy recipes that children can participate in
9. They prefer to cook alone or with less distraction
10. Children are not interested in food preparation
BRIONY'S TOP 10 TIPS TO GET KIDS INVOLVED IN THE KITCHEN:
1. Make them Head Chef
Involving kids in what you are making and giving them the chef hat really helps with engagement, you could even create a cute menu with them in breaks.
2. Expect mess
The sooner you understand that when in the kitchen with little ones that it will be MESSY, the more you'll relax and enjoy.
3. Prep, prep, prep
Pre-weigh ingredients, set them all out in front of the kids so they get excited about what you're doing. Kids can then just pick them up and pour them in - less food waste too.
4. Break time
Taking time in the kitchen is brilliant, but when cooking with little ones have regular breaks to keep them stimulated.
5. Find a theme
Get the kids to come up with a theme they want to explore when cooking, whether Mexican or Italian, to influence the dress code and decor as well as the food.
6. Create a playlist
Compile a cooking playlist with your child, fun upbeat songs which will make being in the kitchen even more fun.
7. Cooking corner
Set up a specific place in the kitchen for your cooking with the kids, if they're too small to reach the worktops, move all the utensils and bowls to the dining table.
8. Food art
Don't feel pressured to make every meal a piece of 'art' like you see on social media, but an easy option if you want to give it a go is a pizza face.
9. Keep it simple
Kids can't concentrate on one thing for too long, to avoid them losing interest choose straightforward recipes.
10. Kid's kit
Get them their own set of safe and easy to use utensils so they can really get involved in chopping and prepping.
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