At what age do you let kids loose in the kitchen?

jaydeeuk1

My 3 year old daughter loves helping in the kitchen. If she's having sandwiches she gets the bread out and spreads the butter, if I'm making a curry I get out all the spices and she then measures and pours them (ie. Keeps pouring them until I say stop!! ) and helps mix and stir when cooking, obviously I'm stood at the hub with her whilst doing this and she's stood on a step. Any rubbish she goes and puts in the bin for me too. If I'm using the juicer she helps peel the oranges and puts all the fruit and veg down the chute. I cut up different types of fruit and veg and let her make up her own recipe - orange, carrot, passion fruit, lime and apple is delicious!

When cooking she dons a little chefs hat and apron - so cute!

Gloomendoom

I read somewhere that getting children involved in the preparation of meals, particularly vegetables, helps to prevent them becoming fussy eaters.

There may be some truth in it. I used to help my mum and granddad prepare meals when I was young and was notorious as a human dustbin. Still am.