Cooking up a storm

HOW many of you were budding Jamie Olivers as children? Maybe you didn’t have a choice but to help your parents in the kitchen. How many youngsters these days know how to do a simple task like make toast or a cup of tea?

According to new research, three-quarters of British children do not know how to boil an egg. Almost half never or rarely help with making the evening meal — even though parents want them to get involved. The poll for supermarket chain Morrisons said 37 per cent of children preferred watching television or surfing the internet instead.

Reporter USMA RAJA found out what Oldham town centre shoppers thought.

WHEN asked if children should cook, many of the shoppers we asked recalled the days when they’d have to turn off the TV and get stuck in to a bit of hard graft in the kitchen.

Rachel Woolfenden (22), of Oldham, agreed that children should learn to cook and be able to do a simple task like boil an egg.

Pam Radcliffe (65), of Middleton, said she was taught how to cook at quite an early age and would expect children to do the same today. She added: “They are only going to benefit later in life if they learn to cook early. I always helped out in the kitchen from the age of six.”

Brian Moss (48), of Bardsley said he has always loved to cook, adding: “My 10-year-old son Connor is always in the kitchen helping out.

“He enjoys cooking. He has started to make cups of tea but I think everybody should be able to make something.”

However, Ray Ali (28), of Oldham, had a different view. He said: “Children should not be able to cook because they might burn something and the set the whole place on fire.”

Reena Rabadia (27), of London, said: “Children should be able to cook because you can’t rely on your parents all the time. I was cooking Indian curries at the age of 10.”

Jean Holroyd, of Oldham said: “Children should be able to cook rather than rely on microwave food which isn’t good for you.

“I was cooking at a very young age so why can’t youngsters these days?”