I recently got a new mobile phone. While I was still trying to work out how to make a phone call, my 11-year-old daughter had worked out how to change my ring tone and changed the ‘wallpaper’ on its screen – to a beautiful photo of herself, which she had also just taken on my phone.
It seems that working out how new technological ‘gadgets’ work is not something that phases young people, but how many are learning vital skills when it comes to technology in the kitchen?
The potato industry in New Zealand is launching a new challenge to try and ensure that every child has the skill to bake a potato. Why? Because they believe that “if a child can bake a potato – they can make a meal”.
The programme is based on the philosophy that ‘if you give a man a fish, you feed him for lunch. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime’.
In New Zealand potatoes are a top vegetable with 97% of us eating them, according to the 5+ a day website. Fresh potatoes are consumed four times a week by 53% of us and 21% of New Zealanders eat them daily.
It would be fair to say that in the Western world potatoes have had a lot of bad press nutritionally; a lot of this has been unfounded, there are many good nutritional points about potatoes.
Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates but low in fat, making them a good source of energy. They can be a quick low fat snack for a hungry tummy.
Potatoes are also very rich in vitamin C – a single medium-sized potato contains about half the recommended daily intake. Vitamin C is important in assisting with iron absorption which is vital for young children.
They are a good source of B vitamins which we need to consume regularly as they are not stored in the body. B vitamins help to convert food to energy and they are also important for cell growth.
When eaten with the skin on, potatoes are a good source of fibre. One average potato with the skin on provides 4 ½ grams of fibre, compared to an average peeled potato which has 2 ½ grams of fibre.
Potatoes are also easy to prepare, readily available, economically attainable, an enjoyed taste, locally grown and a part of the kiwi culture.
While Potatoes NZ is asking all grandparents to rise to the challenge of teaching their grandchildren to bake potatoes the challenge is there for all of us. The more we can teach our kids some simple cooking skills the better equipped our children will be for their own future.
How to bake a potato
Heat the oven to 200 C
Scrub the potato, then place in preheated oven. Bake the potato for 60 minutes – or alternatively you can cook a medium potato for 3-4 minutes in the microwave on high.
For a delicious topping simply pour over some heated baked beans or cream style corn. One can is enough to top around 4 potatoes.
Don’t forget to teach some other important lessons at the same time.
Washing hands before any food preparation can never be learnt too early in life. Another good lesson to start at a young age is to clean things up as you go along, or at least once you have eaten remind your children that those dishes don’t clean themselves!
Children love being included in what you do. Getting them to help in the kitchen will help them to absorb important skills without them even realising they are learning at the same time.
Fostering cooking skills will help your child with forethought and planning – do they have all the ingredients, can they think logically about what order to do things in? It is a different opportunity for both reading and maths.
So step up to the challenge and embrace the idea of teaching your child how to bake a potato. It may seem like a small beginning but if it is enjoyable, easy to do and tasty it is more likely to motivate and inspire your child to try it again, and may spark an ongoing interest in cooking.
