Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Learning to cook

Middle school students can achieve more than you can imagine. That's why I think that middle school students should be required to take cooking classes. In the following essay, I hope to show that teaching cooking to middle school students gives them the option to make healthy choices, prepares them for the future, teaches them something new and fun, and enables them to help their families.

Middle school students who learn how to cook can have more control over what they eat, versus students who do not cook. This is important because your body is growing very quickly while you are in middle school. In fact, it is possible for a kid going through puberty to grow up to 4 inches in only one year, and food is the fuel that makes us all grow. Some food choices are better for growth than others. For example, carrot sticks are a better snack choice than Doritos. But some kids don't like carrots that much. But if they cook, they can prepare a dip for carrots that they like-- like hummus. If you can learn how to prepare a wide variety of foods, you can make better food choices.

Also, learning to cook when you are young definitely prepares you for the future. Imagine you are a student heading to college. You have all your classes planned out and new apartment to live in. There's only one problem-- you don't know how to cook! That would be difficult and expensive, because you would have to eat out all the time. This is just one example of how learning to cook prepares you for the future, but there are many more.

Another benefit of learning how to cook is that it is fun. For example, I am a middle school student myself, and I have recently started learning how to cook. One of my favorite things to do is create new recipes. I like to try these recipes out on my brothers and sisters. It's also fun to imagine I have a little restaurant and serve my family the food I prepare.

Finally, if a middle school student learns to cook, he or she can help with family chores in a way that he or she likes. Many middle school students do not like chores. They might complain because they think that chores are boring or that they take up too much time. But if your middle school student learns to love cooking, he or she can help out with family chores with a happy heart.

So as you can see, there are many good reasons for your middle school student to be required to take a cooking class. Learning to cook helps kids make good food choices, it prepares them for the future, gives them something fun to do, and gives them a new way (that they love) to help their parents around the house. And I have one last thing to say-- “Bon appetit!”


  1. Nia - this is a beautiful piece of writing and full of good advice. I am a middle school teacher, and you wrote this essay so well! Your work is much better than most of the writing I see from my students. I hope to read more of your work!

  2. I loved this blog! Maybe you can keep track of some healthy options that you like to make and we can use it on the Camp Legacy Menu!

  3. Great job writing Nia! I love the little resturant idea [what is the white bucket for?]
    Plan a great meal for Grandpa and I when we visit! Plus, I am bringing a pasta maker and a crepe pan down, so start thinking!