Make Cooking a Family Affair!

 

Parents, do you have picky eaters at home? Then get those kids involved in making a meal!
It’s reported that kids who learn how to cook become more self-sufficient and more health-conscious.

Sounds like a win-win!

 

Here are some benefits of making cooking a family affair:

 

1.It’s fun! Kids love hands-on, tactile fun. Even a preschooler can smash, squish, pour and stir!

 

2.It’s educational! Think how much you can teach your kids while you’re cooking: measuring, pouring, stirring, different herbs and spices, foods from different cultures, following directions, converting fractions (what’s half of a half cup?), and so on.

 

3.It’s bonding! Making and enjoying something you make with your kids is a wonderful way to build family time into your day.

 

4.It’s smart! If you can put up with a little extra mess and prep time up front, down the road you just might be able to sit and relax while your kids make the meal!

 

So, get your kids cooking! You can find a part for every child to play!

For more information, including specific cookbooks for children, check your local library, bookstore, and this list below:

 

Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook by Georgeanne Brennan (Random House 2006): Inspired by the work of Dr. Seuss, this book is great for younger kids, since many of the recipes require no chopping, cooking or appliances.

 

Baking With Kids by Linda Collister (Ryland, Peters & Small 2006): The 65 recipes in this collection cover traditional baking skills, along with more ambitious dishes like oven-baked crab cakes and vegetable chili.

 

Kids Cook 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold (Bloomsbury 2006): This award-winning chef has created a simple but elegant cookbook comprising recipes that feature only 3 ingredients. Source: Associated Press.

 

Now how about a snack recipe to get you and your kids cooking together?

 

Super Duper Salsa

 

1 cup plum or Roma tomato, diced
1 cup black beans, rinsed
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
16-18 whole grain chips
Yields: 2 servings

 

1.Put your lime on the counter because limes are best juiced at room temperature.

2.Rinse and drain the beans.

3.Dice tomatoes and onion, and mix with beans.

4.Press the garlic with a press or dice and add to bowl.

5.Now it is time to juice the lime! Simply roll the lime on the counter applying some pressure to it. This will help to make the lime softer so you can get all the juice from it. Then cut your lime in half and squeeze both halves over the rest of your ingredients. Mix one last time.

6.Add 8-9 whole grain chips and you are ready to snack! Enjoy!

Spice up your life with some fun facts about….spices!

 

Crusading for spices. Way back in the Middle Ages, Europeans ate what they could grow. But the Crusades changed that. As crusaders traveled throughout the world, they encountered new and different spices.

 

What’s on your shelf? What we take for granted on our spice racks at home (black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, saffron, cumin and the like) had to be brought to Europeans from far away countries in the East and from Africa.

 

All I want for Christmas is some….cardamom? Having spicy food (during the Middle Ages) was a sign of wealth. The higher the rank of a household, the greater its use of spices. The cost of spices was so great that they were presented as gifts!

 

Salt of the earth: Salt was considered so important it was stored in the Tower of London (a castle which consisted of many towers). Salt was placed in the center of a high table during important meals and only those of the appropriate rank had access to it. Those less favored on the lower tables were "beneath the salt."

 

Family mealtime is more than just about food!

 

Research shows that kids who eat meals with their family tend to eat more fruits, veggies and protein, eat less saturated fats, and drink less soda. Other studies show that kids are more likely to communicate and share their problems with their parents when they eat as a family.

 

Shared mealtime plays an important role in family bonding and has a positive impact on the entire family!