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Growing up, I had parents that never cooked, but always had a fully-stocked kitchen.  At 8, I decided I wanted to learn how to cook.  This was before the internet, but I just looked at cookbooks and read the directions.  I did forget the flour in the first batch of cookies I made, but eventually I got it.  Even if your son has no patience, you still have to be patient with him!  Also, find recipes that use the microwave if you're worried about him burning down the house when you're at work.  The Foreman grill is also a great tool that's easy to use, especially if he's cooking for only himself.  Pasta dishes are easy and quick...Tyson sells grilled chicken strips in a package that I toss in after it's cooked.  I hope this helps...if a bratty 8-year old can learn to cook, I'm sure a 16-year old can.  Just tell him that girls love a man who can cook!

Thank you Mel you made him smile at your comment about the girls liking a man that can cook!

I just hope I wont come home late one night after work to find him laid out on the couch after cooking a meal for him and a girl he brought over hehehe!

I think I need to let him fend for himself when I am not home and just hope the house will still be standing when I do get home from work, like he has the tools from here and myself! He knows the safety rules the he grew up with and I hope he uses it!

Thank you again!

16 years old is plenty old to cook.  Give him a well laid out recipe and put him in charge of diner one night.  I did this with my teenager only to find that the meal was eatable and she even garnished the plate! 

Hi Kittytrixie! :)

Start him off easy… have him make hamburger helper: http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/hamburger-helper/Helper-Landing-Page.htm
Once he masters that, have him continue to use the same ingredients, but kick it up a couple of notches.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/hamburger-helper/new-recipes.htm
mmm- these look good!
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/chicken-burritos

Also, do you have a crock pot?
I would start him off with something like this:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/slow-cooker-upside-down-chicken-pot-pie?Source=SearchResultPage&terms=crock%20pot

Or buy a taco kit for the night.
These aare pretty easy and very tasty!
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/chicken-ranch-tacos?Source=SearchResultPage&terms=tacos
or
Taco Joe’s!
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/taco-joes?Source=SearchResultPage&terms=sloppy%20joe%20tacos

Hope this helps! Sincerely, CC

I agree with the mod.,like I did with all my children now 27,25,23. Let him choose a box dinner and then open the spice cabinet and pantry and ask him what he thinks would go good with it. Encourge him to experiment with different flavors and textures.

My younger daughter, now 22, has never really been interested in cooking, but she moved to California to help out her grandmother and go to college. So she had to have a crash course . She started out with some of the Betty Crocker type box dinners. Got to be pretty good with those. She's in Colorado now still attending college but this year will have her own place. It's either going to be alot of fast food or Kraft mac & cheese. She still doesn't enjoy cooking. And with working and going to school she won't have a lot of time too.

Kittytrixie:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/community/blogs/viewblog/jillblog/2009/6/4/teaching-teens-to-cook

Jillbcooks, one of our bloggers, wrote a post inspired by your question!

Hope you find it helpful.

Sincerely, CC

A lot of woman are replying but here is my view.

I grew up in a big family, 11 kids. Mom started me out cooking with some simple deserts that all would rave about.

If you can get the siblings to give kudos to the chef it is all downhill from there.

Get him baking, even from a box, I still do.

Both my wife an I love to cook. Now living in Florida we both miss the snow day cook offs.

My 16yr old is the same way, but mom has been working with him, and he is doing better, he has a couple of his own recipes he has tried on us(and we're still alive), i keep telling him, some women like a man that can cook, and that can cook good, that seem to perk him up a bit...lol, all in all he has learned alot, even learning to bake stuff now. Just keep the faith, he will come around

I have two fourteen year old boys that are like your son...want to cook but it needs to be easy and fast so they don't loose interest.

I finally resorted to writing "3" step recipies on  3 index cards per recipie.  If you counted them, the steps are actually two-three steps bundled into one, but by emphasising "3" steps, they think it's easier.

When writing recipies, I've found that it's best to over-explain yourself.  It's better they think you're a dork for writing down "obvious" steps than to leave them confused and wondering "how does mom do it".

Example:  Quick Chicken Parmesean

Step 1: Bake Chicken Strips. 

Place frozen chicken strips on an aluminum-lined cookie sheet.  Top strips with sliced mozzerella, sprinkle of italian seasoning, sprinkle of paresean cheese. Bake in oven according to directions on frozen chicken's bag.

Step 2: Cook Noodles & Sauce

Use one of the larger "soup" pots.  Fill halfway with water and set on stove over medium-high heat.  When the water is boiling, sprinkle with salt, then toss in spagetti noodles (a small package or one fist-full from a large package).  (Make sure noodles are fully submerged.)  Boil for 10-11 minutes. 

Meanwhile, open a can of spagettii sauce and cook in a sauce pan at med/low heat.

Step 3: Arrange and Serve. 

TURN OFF OVEN AND ALL BURNERS.  Drain noodles and arrange on plates.  Add a slice of mozzerella cheese.  Pour sauce over noodles & cheese.  Add desired number of chicken strips (usually two per plate).  Drizzle with a little more sauce.  Top with sprinkle of italian seasoning and parmesean cheese.