How to Enjoy Cooking with your Kids

Cooking with kids can be:
a. Fun
b. Torture
c. Messy
d. Educational
e. All of the above

The answer is "e" on any given day in our house, depending on the mother's mood. I have to say, I rarely look at it as torture. Well, maybe a tad frustrating if I forget that they are little and messes happen (even to me when I'm not paying attention!).

I grew up cooking with my mom. Some of my best childhood memories are from the kitchen where we laughed, talked, and taste-tested. I call myself a "Sugar Baby" as I am convinced that my mom's sweet tooth was passed on to me in-utero!

I am a firm believer that not every child in the universe likes only mac & cheese, chicken nuggets and hot dogs. In fact, if someone served me this diet on a regular basis, I would definitely revolt! If we keep feeding kids boring and bland food, that is all they will ever know. Don't insult their taste buds. Let them explore different herbs, vegetables, fruits, grains, etc. You will someday be pleasantly surprised by the child who likes quinoa and tabbouleh with fresh mint leaves.

One way to get them to broaden their culinary horizons is to let the kids help you cook. Now, you're probably thinking that you don't have time, it's too messy, you don't really have the patience at the end of a long day, etc. And you're right! But you know, sometimes, you need to step back and let them do it. Kids really do love to help, especially in the kitchen. In case you have a picky eater (and who doesn't at some point?), letting them cook with you is a great way to expose them to different tastes, textures, and smells. And who knows, they might start eating all the funky foods you like! And suddenly, your usually quiet 7 year old suddenly starts opening up about this blond girl at school....

Here are some useful tips to get cooking with the little ones:

1. Get the step stool(s) ready.

2. Little People/Big Tools really don't go hand in hand, so opt for a little whisk, little spoon, little spatula, you get the idea.

3. Safety Rules: Yes, I know you all have common sense but sometimes we get caught up in the moment when the chocolate chip cookies are ready. Make sure the kids steer clear of a 4 foot radius of the open oven. No running in the kitchen, EVER, while cooking. Keep the knives far away, and hide the extra chocolate chips from the kids.

4. Know your limits, and theirs. This means that your kids don't need to cook for 30 minutes straight. In their little world, 5 minutes is a long time. The kitchen timer comes in handy here.

5. When cooking with more than 1 child, give each one a job. You know what they say about too many hands. Let one child pour, one mix, one measure, etc. And speaking of hands, make sure they wash 'em before they start cooking.

6. Let them smell the spices but be careful. You don't want your 2 year old sneezing incessantly after inhaling too much cinnamon or red pepper flakes. Waving the spice jar under the nose is much safer or place some in their little hands to touch and sniff.

7. REMAIN CALM AT ALL TIMES..... EVEN WHEN YOUR 7 YEAR OLD CRACKS EGGS ALL OVER THE KITCHEN COUNTER AND THE DOG STARTS LOPPING UP THE LIQUID EGGS OFF THE FLOOR. Not that this has ever happened while giving a lesson on egg separation, but my point is to be adventurous. (If I teach the boys just enough in the kitchen, my future daughters in-law will thank me for making their lives easier and hopefully it decreases my chances of ending up in a nursing home.)

8. Make things that they like. Pancakes are great because they get to reap the rewards right after. And did I mention cookies?

9. Make things they don't like. Yes, it's not always about them, right? Eventually they will need to eat more variety so why not start young. The crazier the food, the better!

10. Let the kitchen double as a classroom. For school age kids it's a great way to sneak in math concepts, fractions, and measuring. You can also save money on a tutor this way.

11. For the really little ones ages 10 -18 month olds, give them a bunch of empty plastic containers and some wooden spoons, old measuring cups, etc to play with. This will surely buy you some time while you prepare your next masterpiece.

Do you have any tips for cooking with kids? Please share them here!

ps. The photo above is my son Nicolas eating homemade pizza sauce, one of his faves.

Food Rules Part 2: Becky Style

Michael Pollan has some fantastic rules about food but I thought you'd like to see some of Becky's Rules this time around.

Here are some tips that might help you save money and eat a little healthier:

1. Look Down on Your Food

That is, in the supermarket. Did you know that the more expensive food on the market shelves lies right within your line of vision? The food companies pay "rent" to place their goods there so YOU end up paying more.

If you are vertically challenged, now is the time to make the most of it (or have your tots do the work for you!). For example, I bought a loaf of Shaw's whole wheat bread for 1.99 because it was on the bottom shelf. Compared to the Arnold or Pepperidge Farm brands (which by the way, were no healthier), I saved over $1.00. Bending down was well worth the savings. The cereal aisle is a big ripoff so try this trick there.

Just because the food is living in prime real estate doesn't mean it's any better than the one in low income housing.

2. Watch TV with your Kids

Not Dora, Sponge Bob, or Blues Clues. Think Food Network or HGTV. These channels offer a whole new perspective to your kids about food and nature. If you have a picky eater (and who doesn't at some point?), watching a cooking show is sure to inspire you both to try something new and talk about the ingredients. Then take the show into your own kitchen and cook together. Kids love the one on one time with parents and they love to get their hands dirty. Our son Luca EATS dried oregano right out of the palm of his hands. Yes, our kids are strange! They also like to suck on lemons. Go figure...

HGTV has many shows about planting and gardening. I think knowing where your food comes from and how it grows is such an important factor. How exciting and fun is it for a child to watch a plant grow from a little seedling, which leads me to the next point.

3. Visit a Local Farmers Market

Buy local. Not traveling hundreds or thousands of miles does wonders for fresh veggies' vitamin content. You will also be supporting the local economy in your state and the hardworking farmers. Plus they are great fun to visit. I particularly like Confreda Farms here in RI for their homemade pies, family friendly activities, and high quality produce.

4. Don't Grocery Shop for one Whole Week

In other words, use what you have in the house and you will be surprised at how much food you are hoarding. I tried this method this week and so far so good. The key is having a well-stocked pantry and freezer.

Pretend like you have no money for food for the week and I betcha you will come up with some pretty creative dishes!

5. If you can avoid it, don't take your kids grocery shopping

I know this sort of contradicts my points about getting kids involved in food prep, etc. However, I don't know about you but one of my kids will beg me for something (read; ice cream cones, and then of course you'd need the ice cream to go with it....). I am human. I am weak. I cave in at times and my grocery bill is probably $10 more than it should be, thanks to the little people.

6. Don't eat any scraps off your kids' plates, unless it is a fruit or a vegetable

It's amazing how quickly the calories add up with all the extra nibbles here and there. I remember a segment on The Today Show which piled all the scraps that moms (and maybe dads!) eat. The banquet-sized table represented a week's worth of "nibbles". It was over 3000 calories worth of mindless eating! That's like gaining a pound a week.

7. Stop acting like a baby

Only newborns need to eat every 2 or 3 hours. You don't.