Recipes were meant to be broken. Are you old-school in the kitchen? Do you carefully read every ingredient and never vary amounts? Maybe you’re an “anything goes” kind of cook who makes scrumptious meals from leftovers. Either way, you can get more creative in the kitchen and pass along your flair for adventurous cooking to your kids.

Why turn up the spices or alter recipes? Because that’s how you’ll happen on improvements to old favorites. If you insist on making the same meals the same way every night, you’ll find yourself with a mutiny on your hands. God loves variety: look at all the different people He made. Take that as your cue to explore new flavors, to taste adventure.

Remember that culinary changes rarely come naturally. We push back against modifying our favorite bread, for example. If it was good enough for Grandma, it’s good enough for you. Maybe. But wouldn’t it be tastier if you added sesame seeds, almond slivers, and a dollop of brown sugar before baking? Could be delicious.

You and your kids will never find out new ways to serve the family classics unless you experiment. Wild combinations sometimes work. And sometimes the results will be frighteningly foul. Keep a log of what’s good and what’s bad so you can improve on perfection and avoid making the same pungent mistake twice.

The other reason to help your kids feel comfortable on their own behind the stove is purely selfish. Someday you may want to retire from cooking. As your kids get older, it’d be nice if they could cook kickin’ chili and cornbread or some other specialty. You’d get a break from the routine and they’d get a chance to shine in the kitchen. Once they’re ready, step back to watch culinary magic (and maybe a little smoke) appear.