Kitchen Science

Usually, when we think about science, we think laboratories. Unfortunately, for many individuals, science seems far removed from daily life. Researchers at the University of Vermont have been challenging this idea, suggesting that science is, in fact, much closer to home.

Kitchen science falls under the umbrella of experiential science. This category of informal learning capitalizes on the invisible science processes embedded in daily life. Cooking is a particularly important type of experiential science because it is a fairly universal practice, transcending countries, cultures, and economic status, allowing for broad accessibility that is rare in science opportunities generally.

As the professors in this article note, kitchen science pulls upon several fields of knowledge such as chemistry, thermodynamics, physics, biology, and anthropology. In addition to building content knowledge, kitchen science allows for important science process skills to develop such as controlling variables, observation, and replication. Even the simplest recipe lends itself to the development of science skills.

Parents are encouraged to scaffold these kitchen experiences for their children, encouraging children to hypothesize, test, and observe. With the holidays approaching, families will have many opportunities to engage in kitchen science throughout the coming months. See our kitchen science activities for ideas and suggestions to incorporate experiential learning into your cooking festivities.