Slightly over 80% of the parents in Bucharest involve their kids in cooking activities, but only 52% of them think this is important for children’s development, compared to a 66% global average, according to an IKEA research.

IKEA launched the Life at Home Report last year, which included a chapter dedicated to activities children carry out in the kitchen. Most of the parents who answered to the quantitative online survey said they involved their children in activities such as cleaning the table (46%), setting the table (46%), choosing dishes for the entire family – for breakfast, lunch or dinner (43%), unpacking the shopping bags (41%), and shopping (33%). They also asked their children to help them wash the dishes (29%), prepare the meals through activities such as cutting the vegetables, measure or mix (28%), get the cooking utensils ready, choose the ingredients (23%), and sort and recycle the waste (21%).

To complete the quantitative survey, IKEA Romania also conducted a qualitative study with the children in the IKEA store in Bucharest. This study was carried out on February 26 and February 27, 2016, through a series of focus groups.

The research found that most children were involved in making meals. Moreover, children said they liked to participate and know which were the sequences and steps in preparing food. They could also make the difference between the menus for daily meals and the menus made for special occasions.

Children know what foods are healthy and what products they should avoid. All children know that fruits and vegetables are necessary for a healthy life while the sweets are “unhealthy”.

Some 81% of those who took part in the focus group said they helped their parents make meals. The percentage is similar to the one registered in the case of parents who involve their kids in cooking activities.

However, the children who rarely or never participate in kitchen activities (19%) were curious and wanted to get involved in the cooking workshops.

Slightly over 1,000 people participated in the Life at Home Report. For the second survey, there were 11 focus groups with a total of 73 children.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com