By FPL_Staff
There’s this one thing your kids are going to have to do every single day of their lives: EAT! There’s no getting out of it. At least three times a day for the rest of their lives they’re going to have to find, make, and eat food. Developing skills and appreciation for cooking and nutrition at an early age can help them become self-sufficient, confident, and healthy adults, so get cooking!
As you cook, try to include your child in your pre, cooking, and clean-up. Younger kids can wash fruit and veggies, cut soft ingredients (there are safety cutters available for them), and mix and assemble things. Older kids can stir food in a hot pan, measure ingredients, and use kitchen tools such as graters, whisks, and blenders. Let them try new things and make suggestions! Children of all ages can help you plan your family’s weekly meals and help you clean the kitchen.
Before they get started, always go over basic kitchen safety protocol. Here is a good resource to help you: Teach Kids Food and Kitchen Safety, opens a new window.
Following are some basic recipes that you can help your child make to build confidence in the kitchen.
Toddler–Pre-K age:
- Breakfast: Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas, opens a new window – They can cut bananas, spread peanut butter, and assemble the pitas.
- Lunch: Ham, Cheese and Spinach Muffins, opens a new window – They can sift, mix, and portion the dough.
- Dinner: Pizza Crescents, opens a new window – They can cut, assemble, and roll.
- Snack: Healthy Oat Bites, opens a new window – They can mix, pour, and roll.
Elementary age:
- Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal Cups, opens a new window – They can measure, smash, mix, use the blender, portion, and choose their favorite ingredients.
- Lunch: Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich, opens a new window – They can peel eggs, measure and mix ingredients, and assemble sandwiches.
- Dinner: Pizza Soup, opens a new window – They can chop the vegetables and stir the pot.
- Snack: Hummus, opens a new window – They can use a food processor or blender, measure ingredients, and make choices to their taste.
Books to inspire your little one to try their hand in the kitchen:
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