Getting kids to help around the kitchen in the early years is a great start to self-reliance. This trend must continue through the teen years if kids are going to make a successful go of it on their own. Assuming you have already covered the basics, it’s time to up the ante.

Encourage your teens to try new recipes. Introducing them to foreign foods is a great way to start this. Center a meal around a particular country and have everyone in the family contribute a dish to the table. Or have the kids orchestrate an entire meal without the help of the parents.

You can also get them to include their friends in their culinary exploits. Have them form a dinner club in which each member takes turns cooking a meal around a specific theme. It could be a country, movie, era, or season. Anything goes. Kids can dress the part too, and make it a real social event.