At what age do you make your child cook meals for themselves?
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Been trying to get my 15 year old son to do this for a while and he refuses! 15 year old daughter could cook breakfast, lunch, and supper and be ok! I think once they are in middle school they should start learning! They are home for the summer, need to know how to eat more than frozen stuff and sandwiches!
That’s a thing? Lol. Mine are 17,16,14 and they only have to once maybe twice a week when I don’t feel like it lol
My son is 9. He knows how to make simple things like a sandwich, ramen noodles, he can make himself eggs as well, that I still supervise though. But my bonus son is almost 13 and just learned to make ramen as well. So I don’t think it’s an age I think it’s kid by kid basis.
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I think this depends on the maturity of the child. Supervise them and see how it works out. Watch over them and correct things you see they should or shouldn’t do. Little by little they will learn. I have a 15 and a 13 year old and refer to microwave only when I am not home. My daughter, the older of the two, has been helping in the kitchen since she was old enough to set up. She loved to cook and bake, and pretty good at it.
My 8 year old cooks meals all the time, I am always in the kitchen with her just in case. Tonight she is going to male shrimp Alfredo
Start them off with cereal even tiniest can do that. ,Move on to sandwiches, packing their own lunch etc. Teach them baking and cooking as a fun thing but only under the strictest supervision. Cooking on their own will come with practice, but hot pans and taking food out of the oven are definite no nos until teens.
I have never “made my kids cook for themselves” I got them involved in cooking very very young and now they love it. My 4yo helps peel and chop and will do basic things at the stove with assistance, all my others can cook anything and everything (13,15,17&18) and my 17yo is training to be a chef
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Definitely a kid by kid thing! My oldest has been making eggs since she was 8 and can make herself any kind of breakfast meal but cooking cooking she still hasn’t mastered and she’s 14 tomorrow… where as my 11 year old can make meals while I help and can’t cook an egg to save his life lmao has only started since 10 where as my 8 year old can’t even microwave without almost catching it on fire 
I started them young in helping and learning food safety, now they’re learning with supervision how to use the oven and stove.
They’ve been able to use the microwave for years, mini waffle makers, toaster, etc
Both of mine are pretty self efficient at 13 and 14 they are both good cooks been cooking since they were babies my 13 year old loves to cook on the Blackstone they can follow recipes and directions and also are very cautious as to they know they can get burned so I say when they have been taught and are capable it depends on the child and how much they have been taught
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My 6 yr old can microwave a hot dog and Mac n cheese in a cup. I watch as she does it
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Teenagers (for an actual meal) in my house. That being said, my 7 & 5 year old know how to make themselves sandwiches, ramen noodles in the microwave, nuggets etc in the air fryer. They can fix their own lunch if needed but I don’t have to worry about them trying to use the stove or oven.
Never make a kid cook thier own meals. Making a bowl of cereal or sandwich easy stuff is around 8+ you can start teaching them at a very early age … but never MAKE them cook
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My 11 yr old is learning to cook dinners by herself now 
my kids grow up in our kitchen watching me and as soon as they are tall enough and comfortable enough to work with the stove they love to venture into making meals.
Young one, most modern day parents will say 7 or more. In our culture, young ones start at 5 ( as many they have fingers) , they are taught the basics of our food and the ways it is mixed/prepared. From the process of Acorns, how to make blossom soup, grinding corn to make masa -
By 11-12 years old many can manage scrambled eggs, any boxed food that has instructions like hamburger helper, Mac and cheese, cake, rice, pasta, cornbread, oatmeal, canned biscuits or packaged break and bake cookies, pizza rolls etc.
As he was lil and was able to reach the microwave. He’s 11 now and does lil on the stove.
I was at 10 an taking care of my younger siblings…yes I’m old.
Never. I let them cook but I’m not going to make them in charge of feeding theirselves
This depends on the child’s maturity. My oldest was cooking meals & expirementing by 10. I was pregnant & had bad nausea. He had to cook for himself. I couldn’t smell food without puking. My now 12 yo daughter is beginning to cook. She’s afraid of the stove/fire though. My 10yo isn’t interested.
depends on their maturity and want to do that. some kids enjoy kitchen stuff earlier than others. always try to include your kids in the cooking with you and see how they do.
start with easy basics to teach Los like, Mac n cheese, pancakes, explain safety tips and encourage growth with cooking by having them look up and pick out different recipes to try. my oldest didn’t really get into wanting to cooking until around 14, but I started encouraging around 6. my second baby tries but has certain fears of being burned with some foods, but interested around 8. right now my 4yo is a pro stir helper for mom lol