Researched! Cooking together with your children has a positive impact on their eating habits

Cooking together not only makes for tasty meals, but also strengthens family bonds and leads to healthier eating habits, according to a recent survey by Mama Boss and Colruyt Group Academy.

89% of parents note that their children learn new skills and 48% also notice a positive impact on their children's eating habits when they are allowed to help in the kitchen. To further inspire families, Colruyt Group Academy and Mama Boss are launching the cookbook ‘Wat koken we vanavond?’ (What are we cooking tonight?). This book is filled with child-friendly recipes that are ideal for creating together, learning and eating healthier, all in a pleasant context.

Cooking together: brings families closer ​
​The survey clearly shows that cooking together not only provides quality time (79%), but also improves children's eating habits. For example, 22% of parents indicate that their children show more interest in healthy food and are more open to new ingredients (41%) when they are involved in cooking. According to nutritionist Vicky De Beule, expert in the book, preparing meals together makes children more aware of their food choices and contributes to a cosy atmosphere at home.

Recipes for the whole family
​‘Wat koken we vanavond?’ was created with input from families from the Mama Baas and Colruyt Group Academy communities. The book offers 40 simple and tasty recipes in which children can actively participate, while slightly older children or teenagers can even work independently. All recipes are explained step by step and provided with clear pictures, so the whole family can join in. In addition, Vicky De Beule provides valuable tips on how to keep cooking with children not only fun and educational, but also safe.

Workshops and inspiration for young and old
​For those who want to go deeper into the topic of cooking together, Colruyt Group Academy and Mama Boss offer blogs, recipes and useful facts about cooking with children on their website. In addition, Colruyt Group Academy offers numerous workshops. Especially for families, there are workshops where (grand)parents can work together with their (grand)child, as well as individual workshops for children accompanied by a (grand)parent. These workshops offer a fun and educational way to discover new dishes and develop skills. This allows families to expand their knowledge and experience in the kitchen, both at home and in a hands-on workshop environment.

Mama Baas
​Mama Baas is an online magazine, blog and community for and by mums. With 80K followers on Instagram and 100K on Facebook, Mama Baas is one of the largest online communities for parents in Belgium and the Netherlands. At Mama Baas, you can indulge in recognisable stories from other parents and seek advice from one of our many experts.

Vicky De Beule
​Vicky De Beule is a certified dietician and mother of three teenagers. Her passion is counselling parents with young children with difficult eating behaviour, focusing on developing healthy eating habits from birth onwards. Vicky is known for her practical tools, such as the Trial Tower. Her approach, Positive Feeding, goes beyond food and includes respectful and enthusiastic eating habits for both parents and children.