National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day turns the chaos into confidence

The results are rarely predictable. Some children turn out surprisingly polished dishes like homemade lasagna or beef chow fun, while others get a little more wild. Susan, a mom in Berkeley, Calif., who didn’t want her last name used, recalled her 8-year-old’s proud invention: a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with gummy bears. “I thought it was gross, but he loved it,” she said.

“My daughter decided to take over the kitchen for dinner one night,” said Lisa MarcAurele, founder of Little Bit Recipes. “She whipped up a pizza with her favorite foods, including Alfredo sauce, bacon, corn and tons of Parmesan cheese. It was messy, fun and absolutely delicious.”

On TikTok, the Houser Webb family shared a video of their kids making pizza for the holiday. They got pretty creative with their toppings, including adding pretzels and sliced pickles to their pies. The joy and laughter, not to mention the learning experiences, make the unusual combos worth it.

Why let kids take over?

Experts say kids cooking does more than get a meal on the table. It gives kids important life skills, builds their confidence and teaches them about making healthy food choices.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Jessica Battilana, staff editor at King Arthur Baking Company, noted that even though the benefits might not be immediately apparent, when kids take part in cooking, they see food differently. “The investment parents make early on to encourage their kids to participate in mealtime will pay dividends later,” Battilana said.

Attitudes shift once kids start cooking, according to Eric Brown, a culinary instructor in Knoxville, Tenn. “As the programs progress, I hear less of ‘Eww, I won’t touch that’ and more of ‘What is that? I’ll try it,’” he said.

The health angle

Studies suggest that when kids help in the kitchen, they build skills and their diets improve. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights kitchen time as a way to build motor skills, math knowledge and confidence, while a study by Frontiers in Public Health found that children who develop cooking skills eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Families who cook and eat together regularly consume more fruits and vegetables, eat less fast food and report higher life satisfaction. Cooking at home can spark habits that ripple into healthier eating over time. A 2024 national study published in the journal Childhood Obesity found children in households that regularly cook dinner ate fewer ultra-processed foods and scored higher on overall diet quality.

Where the holiday came from

The idea for the holiday didn’t come from social media. It started with the Waco, Texas-based Young Chefs Academy, a cooking school franchise just for kids. YCA launched Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day on Sept. 13, 2011, to encourage children to try their hands at cooking.

Retailers, media platforms and celebrity chefs join the trend

Food brands, retailers and even celebrity chefs now offer programs to encourage a new generation of home cooks. The supermarket chain Kroger runs Chef Junior classes in its stores, where kids learn to cook simple recipes like spring rolls and banana splits. They leave with their own aprons, cooking tools and illustrated recipe cards they can use at home.

America’s Test Kitchen Kids publishes videos, activity kits and recipes on its website. Ranging from flank steak tacos with corn relish to quick microwave mug cakes, the recipes explain why each step matters. They aim to help budding young chefs build knowledge, skills and confidence.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver recently expanded his 10 Skills Food Education Platform, which has proven successful across the U.K., into U.S. schools. It provides free curriculum covering core techniques like knife safety, pasta making and roasting vegetables. “If you teach kids about food, where it comes from and how it affects their body, they’re not just healthier, but they’re happier and they’re more productive,” Oliver told Food & Wine.

Safety comes first

Doctors stress that the fun shouldn’t overshadow safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends age-appropriate jobs like washing produce and stirring for preschoolers, measuring and cracking eggs for older kids and supervised knife work for teens. Tools like knives with finger guards, non-slip stools and cut-resistant gloves can help keep kids safe. Concepts like proper tool handling and keeping raw meat separate are important for everyone to learn.

What success looks like

Success doesn’t have to be a flawless plate. It’s a kid who measures without help, a teen who sautés with growing confidence or a family that spends time together while dinner takes shape.

Battilana’s advice sums it up: “Think of it as less of a chore and more of an opportunity to be together.” And if the result is gummy-bear grilled cheese sandwiches or rainbow-colored macaroni, well, that’s all part of the fun.