Flip It:
Cook to Learn NOT Learn to Cook
If there was a way to cook without having to do dishes, I’d probably like it a whole lot better. What about you?
Regardless, I like to eat, so I cook… begrudgingly lol. Even better than cooking, I LOVE to bake. Those dishes are more worth it! And, depending on what it is, I like to bake with other people. My grandma died earlier this year, but I have some good memories of being with her in the kitchen. So although this article isn’t about soft, feel good memories, enjoy those in the process : ) They are another chance to learn.
In the US, the four major subjects covered in high school include: math, English, science, and history. I like the first three, but I’m not a fan of the fourth. However, if history can be included in something I do enjoy, I get more interested. That’s the same for you and your teens no matter the subject!
So if you have a teen who’s not really interested in school, I hope some of the following ideas will stoke some interest either because he or she is spending time with you or because the cooking element makes it more fun to learn. Learning doesn’t have to be boring; it’s all about tying in your interests or your teen’s to something you want to learn about.
Let’s start with math. I tutor middle school math, and I can do higher maths, but I’m not so skilled in the higher maths that I can answer a question if it’s not done the way I know. My physics teacher failed me this way, so my contractors are solid in what they tutor.
Good teachers and tutors know that there is often more than one way to get to the solution.
Good cooks and bakers know it, too.
Do you want to know my grandma’s favorite way to proof cinnamon rolls? She liked to use the car in the garage during summer in Kansas. It was hot and humid, but in the garage, in the shade, it was just right. She had to set a timer because if she forgot, the dough or rolls would spill over the edge of the pan. Just a note: use a plastic tablecloth or bag to protect your seat in case of overflow. The smell is pleasant, but the dough can be tough to clean up lol
Anyway, back to math. The easy answer to connecting math and cooking is changing quantities in recipes. To double or halve a recipe is common. If you have a recipe for a small quantity of something your teen loves, the reward could be doubling the recipe. It’s a great way to work with fractions! As math levels advance, it’s easy to forget how to multiply or divide fractions…
Besides measurements, temperature is another conversion that may need to be made. It’s kind of funny. My car shows MPH and KPH, but my oven doesn’t show Fahrenheit and Celsius. Following is the equation to get Celsius if you know Fahrenheit: C = 5/9 (F - 32) There’s a different equation to go the opposite direction, or you can rearrange that equation.
As the world keeps getting smaller, conversion between imperial and metric measurements is also math your teen could do. I grew up with cups and teaspoons, but some newer recipes use a scale and grams. With so many people creating Shorts, Reels, and other videos all about cooking, baking, and recipes, it’s essential to know your kitchen math, especially if the video creator lives in a different country than you and you really want to try that recipe! Work with what you have, and have your teen help you figure out the math. There is always a reward at the end if the recipe is good!
From math, let’s go to English which can be literature or vocabulary for starters. With a set of alphabet cookie cutters, the choices can’t be counted. How about Scrabble with cookies? The important thing to remember: don’t eat the pieces. Until the game is over anyway …
Literature can be books turned into movies. Do you remember Tiana’s specialty in The Princess and the Frog? The answer is delicious, gives you a French word, and takes you down to New Orleans. Beignets! Don’t think I’ve ever had one, but I will someday : D
Literature can also be cookbooks which have more than just recipes. They are an opportunity to learn about different times and places as well as ingredients you and your teen may not know. Have some fun. You may have to research ingredients to see if they are available or affordable, but even when they’re not, there’s always the chance to learn. A cookbook from 20 or even 120 years ago is going to be VERY different from one you’d buy today.
Another way to incorporate reading and cooking is to read a book about food. It doesn’t have to be non-fiction though that would work, too. I’ve heard about a book called The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. A short synopsis of the book says that nine-year-old Rose can taste the emotions of people in the food they cook. I’ll read the book when I can, but what about you? Does your cooking taste the way you feel? Or maybe you cook certain foods when you feel a certain way? I knew my mama was angry growing up when there was a lot of stirring involved!
Alright, we’ve covered math and English. How about science next?
Science is easy to incorporate whenever cooking or baking, especially chemistry. A key part of chemistry, the states of matter, is easy to learn with water. There is water (liquid), steam (gas), and ice (solid). A tastier one might be cake batter (liquid) and cake (solid) lol. You could go even further and talk about homogenous and heterogeneous mixtures.
Some of these times in the kitchen could be fodder for a science fair!
A simple acidic reaction I’ve used in the kitchen many times is making a buttermilk substitute. I don’t often have buttermilk in the kitchen, but I almost always have milk and vinegar or lemon juice. As a kid, I didn’t think of it as science, but now I know better.
Butter is a great transition between science and history. It’s been around for a very long time and can teach you and your teen about both physical and chemical changes.
While singing isn’t one of our four main classes, music is an elective at many schools. And guess what? Singing and history can go hand in hand!
My mama sings in the kitchen. There is a song with no words (that I know of) that she’s always sung with lots of “la, la’s” whenever she makes spaghetti sauce. She says it’s classical but only remembers it from Looney Tunes when she was little. I wonder if Google could identify it if I recorded her - hmmm…
Another song she sings is about goober peas. So of course, I had to ask, “What are goober peas?”
Do you know? She looked at me sideways like everyone knows the answer and said, “peanuts.”
The song she sings about goober peas being delicious dates back to the Civil War. The Confederate soldiers often ate peanuts as a source of protein. They were easier to carry and stayed fresh longer than meat.
There’s your history lesson! And, there’s more…
I wondered whether peanuts had always been a southern crop once I learned about their importance in the Civil War. So, I looked it up! They are actually from central South America. They traveled to Brazil where they thrived. Spanish galleons and Portuguese traders took them to Africa, Asia, and Europe, and they eventually made it to the United States. The internet says peanuts never really caught on in Europe.
That makes me wonder if everyone reading this cooks and bakes with peanuts and/or peanut butter! I love me some peanut butter cookies : D
The final recipe I’m going to write about is one that was on Ritz Cracker boxes until 1993. It was a recipe for “Mock Apple Pie.” In 1929, the Stock Market crashed, and the US entered into what was to become known as the Great Depression.
Following the crash and during the Depression, the Dust Bowl cut through much of the United States and parts of Canada. Fresh apples became a scarce commodity. Crackers were shelf stable if you could afford them, and with sugar, lemon juice, and spices, a pie that seemed like apple pie could be made.
Do you think crackers can pass for apples? I’m pretty doubtful, but I love my apples! Give it a try. When you’re with your teen, talk about other ingredients you’ve used in place of the original. It’s a great opportunity for critical thinking and experimentation.
And there you have it. Easy ways to use cooking to help your teen (and yourself) learn. And in case you’re wondering, the answer is “Yes.” I encourage you to include a lesson or two teaching your teen HOW to cook as well. Just remember learning happens everywhere, everyday, no matter what you’re doing.
Forever Learning,
Jessyka Coulter
CEO & Founder,
Ace Cookie Tutoring