When a Child Helps Cook: A Little Chef Without Pressure

By KiiDS.SHOP · Published October 31, 2026

Ten-year-old Acey threads peppers onto a kebab and assembles his own pizza. His father, chef Tom Kerridge, says that when this happens, there is a greater chance his son will tuck into the meal. So when a child helps cook, they may gain space to get involved and decide part of the meal—based on these chefs' experiences, this sometimes supports their willingness to taste. However, it is not a guaranteed outcome or a rule that applies to every family.

According to the personal experiences of Tom Kerridge, Meera Sodha, and Helen Goh, a child may be drawn to food preparation, the chance to choose their own sides, or a dish shaped to their preferences. Their examples are not a guarantee that a child will taste a new food.

What can change when a child helps cook?

A child can be part of the preparation, choose their own sides, or receive food in a form they prefer. Tom Kerridge, Meera Sodha, and Helen Goh describe these options through their own family experiences. Their stories show different approaches, not a proven guide that must work for every child.

How does Tom Kerridge get his son Acey involved with food?

Tom Kerridge describes that Acey is more often drawn to food he has helped prepare himself. Examples include threading peppers onto a kebab skewer and assembling his own pizza. Kerridge says that in such moments, his son is more likely to eat the food. His experience doesn't mean that involving a child automatically eliminates picky eating or would yield the same result in another family.

Acey also makes his own smoothies from frozen mango and pineapple with coconut and cow's milk. Kerridge mentions that his son will eat a sliced apple, even if he doesn't ask for it himself. These examples aren't only about unfamiliar tastes: they also show that a child may show interest in familiar food when they can take part in its preparation or presentation.

Kerridge also describes a shared weekend meal where several options are on the table and everyone chooses for themselves. Acey won't take from the salad, but he enjoys dipping warm bread in olive oil. In his account, the point isn't for his son to eat everything the others do, but to have the chance to choose from what's offered.

Kerridge talks about his ten-year-old son Acey and describes him as a selective eater; he shares this experience in a personal context. The Guardian presents Acey as ten years old. Kerridge also expresses his belief that picky eating is something almost every child experiences - that's his perspective, not a universally proven rule. In the interview with The Guardian, he speaks about his own conviction that children tend to be picky about food.

How does Meera Sodha offer new flavors alongside familiar ones?

Meera Sodha describes how her children's relationship with food has changed. Arya is nine years old and Yogi is six. Arya used to prefer foods with light colors, but later developed a taste for spicier flavors. Yogi has also gradually opened up to new foods, although some unfamiliar dishes could upset her. Sodha's experiences thus remind us that preferences can change and that children in the same family may not react the same way.

With falafel, everyone can choose their own toppings. Sodha describes how this gives children a sense that they can customize their meal. They don't have to accept all the offered flavors in one fixed combination. It's a concrete example of choice at mealtime, not a promise that a child will taste or enjoy falafel.

When Sodha introduces a new dish, she pairs it with ingredients her children already know. With naan breads with paneer, mango, and lime, she reminded them that they like these ingredients. She added spices gradually and increased the amount by a quarter teaspoon the next time she made it. This detail is part of her personal experience; it's not a prescription or a universal method for families.

Sodha also warns against labeling. If a child repeatedly hears that they are picky, they may adopt that label. She herself was labeled picky as a child, but in hindsight she feels her taste perception was sensitive. Her story supports caution when naming children's preferences: what a child refuses now doesn't necessarily define their relationship with food forever.

With cherry tomatoes, Sodha suggested Arya try one each year. When Arya tasted them, she ate three. It's a specific experience with repeated, non-pushy offering, not proof that the same approach will work with every child. Sodha isn't saying that children should be persuaded or forced to taste something.

Why does Helen Goh adapt food to her sons' preferences?

Helen Goh talks about the different tastes of her sons Sam (15) and Jude (11). Sam prefers crunchy broccoli, while Jude likes it softer, cooked longer. In her example, it's not just about which vegetable is on the plate, but also its texture.

The differences also show up with chicken. Sam prefers sliced chicken breast wrapped in a wheat tortilla, while Jude chooses the thigh with skin on. Goh prepares the chicken to accommodate their different preferences. Her account doesn't mean the family always has to make multiple versions of a meal; it shows that children may prefer the same ingredient in a different form.

Goh doesn't hide vegetables in food and openly tells her children what a dish contains. She doesn't want the meal to be based on a lie. It's her way of communicating with her children about what's in the food, not a general expert recommendation. The provided part of her account ends in the middle of describing another dish, so its continuation cannot be filled in by guesswork.

What can we take away from these experiences?

Kerridge's Acey helps with the kebab and assembles his own pizza; Sodha offers her own sides with falafel and pairs new flavors with familiar ones; Goh takes into account her sons' different ideas about texture and openly names the ingredients. The common thread isn't one guaranteed method, but respect for the fact that children may accept food differently and their preferences can change.

These examples can be read as inspiration for simply involving a child in preparation or for letting them choose part of the meal. However, the chefs' accounts don't provide specific instructions for safe access to the work surface or criteria for choosing a kitchen step stool. Nor do they promise that helping with cooking will solve picky eating or guarantee tasting.

Key Takeaways

• Tom Kerridge says his son Acey is more likely to tuck into a meal when he helps with a kebab or builds his own pizza.
• Meera Sodha pairs new flavors with familiar ingredients and lets kids choose their own sides with falafel.
• Sodha describes repeatedly offering cherry tomatoes to Arya as a personal experience, not a universal method.
• Helen Goh adapts the form of chicken and broccoli to the different preferences of Sam and Jude.
• Goh tells the kids what's in the dish and doesn't hide the vegetables.

Practical Tips

• Tom Kerridge gives examples of involvement like threading peppers onto a kebab skewer and building your own pizza.
• With falafel, kids can pick their own sides, following Meera Sodha's example.
• Sodha pairs new dishes with familiar ingredients and adds spices gradually.
• Helen Goh takes into account whether her sons prefer crispy or softer broccoli.
• The source doesn't provide specific safety instructions for the work surface or criteria for choosing a kitchen step stool.

Start with Choice

The chefs' experiences offer concrete ideas for getting kids involved, like building your own pizza or picking sides. Treat them as personal examples, not a guaranteed guide.