I have good kids, but they’re also scatterbrained disasters. My 6-year-old never grew out of the terrible twos, crashing into things and being wildly curious about the world, and my 10-year-old would forget her own head if it wasn’t attached.

So when my older daughter, Gabby asked if she could make dinner with me, and the younger one chimed in, I immediately thought of Michael Scott from The Office screaming “No, God No.”

Gabby wouldn’t drop it, but when I thought about them making the family meatball recipe, the image of every square inch of my kitchen covered in marinara wouldn’t leave my mind. I decided to try out a meal kit that claimed to be family-friendly.

HelloFresh had the best reviews for simple, kid-friendly meals, due to their detailed recipe cards and packaging designed for minimal mess. When our first box arrived, I watched my kids like a hawk, but I let them run the show – not only did they not set the kitchen on fire, but we enjoyed a fantastic meal together!

If you want your kids to cook, a meal kit is the way to go. Here are one mom’s 7 reasons for using HelloFresh with kids.

1. No Planning

I didn’t have to look up a recipe that could accommodate four tiny hands, I didn’t have to grocery shop, and I didn’t have to worry that a 30-minute recipe would end up taking 2 hours. The most complicated process in HelloFresh recipes is chopping the vegetables, and the cooking times are accurate, so it’s super kid-friendly.

2. Appreciation for Home-Cooked Food

I thought it was too early for them to learn how to cook, but it’s never too early. Now that my kids have aced burgers with caramelized onion jam, I can relax knowing that they won’t live on peanut butter and ramen when they hit college.

3. Less Screen Time

We now get HelloFresh delivered 3 times a week, and the kids always choose cooking the new meal with me over watching television or playing on their phones.

4. It Builds Skills

I was making mac and cheese from scratch recently, and Gabby offered to start the water boiling – I get help in the kitchen now! Also, my son Sean has gotten so much better at reading the instructions; And since he’s using the info he’s absorbing, he’s better at comprehension.

5. Collaboration

My kids have always gotten along, but it warms my heart to see them delegate tasks. They still fight over who has to set the table, but sometimes I take one for the team.

6. Real, Appropriate Consequences

Gabby forgot to set a timer for the chicken and I had to intervene before it was too late. She’ll still have a tasty meal if she makes mistakes, but she may need to scrape off the blackened bits.

7. It Builds Confidence

In 30 minutes, my kids can prepare a delicious and nourishing meal, with minimal help from the adults. They’re crushin’ it in the kitchen, and they know it.

The only downside? Now my kids have good taste. They don’t want fast food on weekends if they can make Duck a l’Orange or Shrimp Tacos. And yes, they’re still scatterbrained disasters, but since they’ve done this enough times, I’m confident that when they’re older and start cooking alone, they won’t set the house on fire making rice.

If your kids show interest in cooking, or you want to teach them, a meal kit like HelloFresh is the best and easiest way to do it.

Follow this link to get $30 off including FREE shipping on the first box!