The pandemic put us into a bit of a slide, with bread and cake baking near-weekly (check out the Rainbow Cheesecake Bars, a tradition in our fam). But we have found a way to get back on track without tears or feeling deprived – get kids in the kitchen! We have been talking to our twins about good nutrition since they were in high chairs, gobbling peas, tofu, oranges and a rainbow of fresh ingredients. Then they turned into toddlers who wouldn’t touch a vegetable unless it was fried and served in a box. Having the kids in the kitchen while we cooked has been a constant. But they still seem to lean toward salty snacks in bags over fresh, colorful foods, as do most kids!
When the twins were around age 2, they helped measure flour for the weekly batch of versatile dough we make every Sunday from the “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.” The master recipe is quick and easy and nearly fail-proof if they put in a bit too much flour. The recipe makes about 6 loaves of bread and we pull off a big chunk to make pizza sticks, garlic bread, even cinnamon rolls on Saturday to finish off the batch.
We got back to good nutrition with red peppers and celery sticks alongside slices of cheese in elementary school and exploring new tastes and flavors via what was in their friends’ lunch boxes. But this past summer they entered the tween years and we seem to be back to the toddler years. It’s back to turning up their nose to new things and pushing their salad to the side. We realized that getting them back into the kitchen helps as they chop, saute and prepare the sides and mains alongside mama and dad.
I played on their curiosity and desire to be more independent. We researched dishes together and did a roster of their likes. We put three of their favorite ingredients, a protein, a veg and a starch into a search engine to see what would come up.
That was fun, but we need structure. I went over to Jen Mackinnon’s shop and am using the Kid-Friendly Recipes Cookbook.
We like this for the details. It is very kid-friendly but doesn’t talk down to them, important for my kiddos who currently abhor anything with the faintest wisp of babyish.
- Easy-to-understand instructions
- Clear definitions of common cooking terms
- Basic kitchen safety checklist
- Fun, appealing recipes that will make your kids *want* to cook
- Ingredients they can pronounce
- Easily adaptable meals to fit any sensory or special diet need
- Recipes for all meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, sweets, snacks, and drinks!
At first glance, they were looking up the Banana Burrito and No-Nut Trail Mix (why nuts are no longer a fave, I have no idea). The Make-Ahead Meatballs were a big hit, and a surprise. My daughter made them and doesn’t really dig meat, but this she enjoyed. My son doesn’t like sauces, but the tangy Sweet-N-Sour sauce with a side of plain rice made the meal a fave for him. I guess we are finding that the less we push and the more we inform, the better the choices they make. The recipes are easy to read and break it down in a way kids can truly understand without being condescending.
At this age, at any age really, getting kids involved in their own nutrition decisions for main meals makes a big difference in their healthy choices. They made a handy conversion chart in Canva to hang in the kitchen (free for Homeschool Cafe readers! Use code FREE4ME).
Mom tip – print out page 8 of the Kid-Friendly Cookbook that has a great checklist for preparing kids to cook in the kitchen, like washing your hands, check for the ingredients you need and pull out butter to soften, etc.! Good for parents, too (hint, the hubs)!
The twins found this online nutrition guide and meal-plan maker and it made sense for them. There are a few other resources we found that have made a big difference in the way we view the food we take in, prepare and expect to eat at a healthy dinner.
A fellow homeschool friend offered a few books for the kids to read that her kids enjoyed, and they gobbled them up, so to speak. We tied anatomy in with our nutrition study units and that clicked for my son, who needs to know the why and how more than the ‘because it’s good for you.’
Preschool Recipes
Pocket Homeschool has a beautiful caprese salad littles can help make with mom and dad or big sis. She shares tips on how to work with kids of different ages, shortcuts in the kitchen and even a little history about the salad! My kids love background!
As an Amazon Associate I earn a few cents from qualifying purchases but it in no way affects your total price.
