Future Foodie Friday Tip - Kids in the Kitchen

I apologize for the delay in posts but summer fun has prevailed the last month.  This week's tip is a little lengthy, so hopefully it will make up for the gap in posts.

A great way to get kids excited about food is to get them in the kitchen with you.  It's never too early, place infants in the kitchen when you are cooking so that they can take in the sights, sounds, and smells of your food. This will help prepare them for these flavors when they are  ready. The smells will be familiar when you introduce them to these foods as they get older.

Let your toddlers help as soon as you can.  Now maybe it's not the best idea to have a toddler help when you are trying to fix dinner in 10 minutes or less, but pick a time when you aren't rushed in the kitchen and let them help.  Start with easy tasks like outing cut up veggies in a bowl or handing you ingredients as needed, then work your way up to letting them measure and pour in ingredients.  Sure it's messy and it will take time and patience, but the provide and ownership your child will feel will be totally worth it.  They may be more likely to eat the food and enjoy it if they helped make it

Our boys have worked up to being quite the sous chefs.  We find that if we get all the ingredients, tools, and bowls ready before we bring them in to help, it makes things go smoother.  The boys can now make zucchini bread and cookies with Mommy just reading the recipes to them.  They measure, level, and pour in the ingredients all by themselves.  Lucas has even graduated to being Andy's assistant for cutting fresh pasta.

Having your kids help in the kitchen is a great way to have teach your children life skills of cooking and math, encourage excitement about food and above all have some family fun!

Happy Friday!

I apologize for the delay in posts but summer fun has prevailed the last month.  This week's tip is a little lengthy, so hopefully it will make up for the gap in posts.

A great way to get kids excited about food is to get them in the kitchen with you.  It's never too early, place infants in the kitchen when you are cooking so that they can take in the sights, sounds, and smells of your food. This will help prepare them for these flavors when they are  ready. The smells will be familiar when you introduce them to these foods as they get older.

Let your toddlers help as soon as you can.  Now maybe it's not the best idea to have a toddler help when you are trying to fix dinner in 10 minutes or less, but pick a time when you aren't rushed in the kitchen and let them help.  Start with easy tasks like outing cut up veggies in a bowl or handing you ingredients as needed, then work your way up to letting them measure and pour in ingredients.  Sure it's messy and it will take time and patience, but the provide and ownership your child will feel will be totally worth it.  They may be more likely to eat the food and enjoy it if they helped make it

Our boys have worked up to being quite the sous chefs.  We find that if we get all the ingredients, tools, and bowls ready before we bring them in to help, it makes things go smoother.  The boys can now make zucchini bread and cookies with Mommy just reading the recipes to them.  They measure, level, and pour in the ingredients all by themselves.  Lucas has even graduated to being Andy's assistant for cutting fresh pasta.

Having your kids help in the kitchen is a great way to have teach your children life skills of cooking and math, encourage excitement about food and above all have some family fun!

Happy Friday!