Kids in the kitchen

A new report reveals three quarters of British children lack basic cookery skills - let us know your thoughts

Three quarters of British children do not know how to boil an egg, research suggested today.

Almost half of the youngsters in the UK (45%) never or rarely help with making the evening meal, even though around a third of parents (34%) want them to take part.

The poll for supermarket chain Morrisons said 37% of children preferred watching television or surfing the internet to cooking, while two in five said they were too stressed about homework or too tired to help.

It also revealed that a third of parents had learned to cook from their own mothers and fathers, and 80% viewed culinary ability as an important skill.

Is it worth the effort?

Author Annabel Karmel said: "Today's parents just don't have the time or the patience to get the children involved in the kitchen. A third (27%) of parents admit it's easier to let their children watch television than to enlist their help with the evening meal. Cooking is a great way for children to learn about maths, measuring, and understanding time, so it's worth the effort. What's more it's a great way to get fussy eaters to try new foods."

Annabel states the basic skills children should learn while cooking in the kitchen with their parents:

Ages 3-5

• Measure with spoons
• Mix and stir mixtures
• Fill paper cups with cake mixtures
• Roll out dough
• Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter

6 year olds

• Grate cheese
• Chop vegetables and fruit
• Boil an egg

7-8 year olds

• Make salads and dressings
• Stir fry in a wok or frying pan
• Cook pasta and rice
•  Help prepare food for their lunch box

13 year olds

• Make soups
• Cook fish, meat and chicken
•  Bake potatoes
•  Roast vegetables

16 year olds

• Make oriental dishes like mild curries
• Make risotto
• Make a proper meal like lasagne or ravioli
• Roast a chicken

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How good are your children at cooking? Do they ever help make dinner? Do you take time to teach them? Should schools be doing more to ensure children learn about diet, nutrition and practical cooking skills? Maybe you are a teenager - how would you rate your cookery? Post your comments below.