7 Easy Ways for Kids to Help in the Kitchen

When kids are involved in the kitchen process there are so many benefits from better eating habits, creative fun and time spent together. As a fun spin on a 'chore', cooking together counts as quality time and can be great fun if parents can relax enough to let their kids get their hands and kitchens messy!

Here are seven easy ways to include kids into the kitchen:

 


1.    Set up
Let the kids pull the bowls and measuring cups out, line the ingredients up on the counter, grease the pans with butter (great sensory fun!). Older kids can read the recipe and help younger ones to get out ingredients.


2.    Ignore the mess (seriously)
Buy your child a great apron that is their special one to wear when cooking with you. Don’t panic when flour hits the floor, remind yourself this is part of the memory making and isn’t this FUN?

 


3.    Designate jobs
With more than one child, it’s best to give them jobs that are split evenly (know this from experience!). One measures the dry ingredients, the other the wet.  Alternate roles or there will be a battle.


4.    Let them do it
Don’t be too eager for perfection. Your 4 year old wants to ice the cake? Let her to try – she’ll probably do a pretty good job and it’s building her confidence and independence. So what if it’s bumpy and messy – decorations will cover it all up – load on the sprinkles! It’s the process not the product that’s important to remember when cooking with kids.


5.    Practise knife skills
Giving a child a knife (a small one like plastic one) is a good idea to practise fine motor skills and share in the prep work. Supervise (obviously) but you’ll be surprised how capable kids are when given a responsibility.

 

cutting rhubarb
6.    Vegetable Help
Easy ideas like washing and snapping ends of  asparagus (no knives), washing potatoes in the sink, rinsing beans and cutting off the ends with a small (dull) knife, ripping up lettuce, husking corn on the cob – there are all simple ways kids can help.


My daughter at 5 became my permanent roasted potato helper – she washes new potatoes then puts them  in a bowl with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper, tosses and puts on a cookie sheet. I can’t believe I didn’t put her to work sooner!  While kid sare washing vegetables you can be doing another meal task – it’s actually more efficient! Include them and they will want to help more often.


7.    Meal planning and Grocery Shopping
There are pros and cons to bringing kids to the grocery store but way more PROs if you’re molding healthy eaters. Knowing where the food comes from helps encourage responsible eating habits.  Create a picture grocery list with your child before so it’s focused trip.

Posted by momstown mama on 01/27/2012 - 19:21
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Gluten-Free Rice Krispie Squares

rice krispies brown rice gluten free

 

Kellogg's has just introduced Rice Krispies Brown Rice Gluten Free cereal! Great news for moms looking for a healthy cereal and for gluten-free baking and breakfast!

 

rice krispies brown rice gluten freeEvery kids' favourite - rice krispie squares - can now be gluten-free!

 

Ingredients:

50ml 1/4 cup margarine or butter

1 250g pkg (about 40) marshmallows

1.5L  6 cups Rice Krispies Brown Rice cereal

 

Directions:

1. Melt margarine in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows, stir until melted and well blended. Remove from heat. (You can also melt in the microwave on high power for 1 minute).

2. Add cereal, stirring until coated.

3. Using lightly-buttered spatula, press into buttered pan (13" x 9") pan. Cool and cut into squares.

 

Click here for nutritional information about this great new product.

Posted by momstown team on 01/27/2012 - 10:59
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Add a Heart to Valentine Breakfast

valentine hearts

 

Valentine's Day is full of love but we still have to start the day off with a full belly with a good breakfast. momstown has found a bunch of creative Valentine themed breakfast ideas that you can create at home to add a little something special to your Valentine's day.

 

These multi-coloured pancakes are simple and and so brilliant and makes us all wonder - why didn't I think of that??? All you need is a heart cookie cutter and some red food colouring to create pancake puzzle peices.

 

Would you like bacon with those pancakes? Who doesn't LOVE bacon (pun intended!)?? Here's another 'why didn't I think of that' moments -- bacon is really flexible and easy to form - so bake it in the oven to shape it and serve bacon as a heart!

 

bacon heart

 

Sweet cinamon rolls? Here's a perfect idea for the non-bakers out there - just form store bought dough into a heart shape!

heart cinnamon buns

 

Have an Egg Lover? Have a love of a good yolk? Follow these instructions to turn your egg yolk into a heart!

 

heart yolk

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Posted by momstown mama on 01/21/2012 - 16:26
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Cooking with Kids: Crunchy French Toast Sticks

Sunday mornings have always been big breakfast days around here. Daddy's special pancakes are usually on the menu. The kids are asking more and more to get involved, the crack the egg, to use the griddle so Sundays now have a new name: Family Chef Day. Essentially it means the kids are way more involved and we have agreed to a morning full of a messy kitchen.

 

junior chef french toast

 

Last Sunday we made Crunchy French Toast Sticks - delicious, fun to make and had some excellent learning moments for even the adults.

  • Whole Wheat bread 4-6 pieces, cut into vertical strips (3 per piece of bread)
  • 3-4 eggs, beaten in a bowl with 1/2 cup of milk and a splash of vanilla
  • 1 cup+ breakfast cereal - crushed (we used a mixture of both Frosted Flakes and Bran Flakes)

 

junior chef french toast

 

Designate one child the bread cutter by setting then up with a cutting 'station'. As the bread is cut lay it down on a flat plate or tray in a single layer.

 

Another job is the Crusher! Pour cereal into a ziploc bag, seal it, then roll a rolling pin over the bag to crunch the cereal.

 

Next crack the eggs and whisk the milk in - a perfect job for another set of junior hands.  Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread. Flip the bread (help a younger child with this, we had several peices go too soggy and rip.

 

Once bread has soaked, spread cereal crumbles on a flat plate or pie plate. Lay the egg sodden sticks in the cereal to coat both sides.

 

Cook these French Toast Sticks on a griddle or greased frying pan, flipping when golden brown. Serve hot with maple syrup to dip into.

 

 

Posted by momstown mama on 01/21/2012 - 00:48
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Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

We love it when members share recipes with one another - this one for Easy Cheesy Enchiladas is a great addition to momstown meals from a member recommendation.

 

I made a really great comfort dinner tonight.  Even I was surprised how well it turned out.  It was from a recent Chatelaine recipe and it had such a nice fresh taste.  Big hit.  I made a few modifications from the original recipe and I'm posting here the way I actually made it.  I served it with lemonade (think mock margarita), multigrain tortilla chips, and fresh cut veggies.  Pretty simple and delicious.


  • 2 lb ground turkey
  • 2 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups of thick and spicy salsa (split into 1 cup and 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 a large block old cheddar, shredded (roughly 4 cups).  Split in half.
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 8 7" flour tortillas
  • 1 cup light sour cream


Brown turkey in a non-stick pan.  Sprinkle with 2Tbsp cumin and 1/2 tsp salt during cooking.  Cook until no longer pink.


Add in 1 cup of salsa and continue cooking.  When the mixture is hot, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 the cheese and 1/2 the cilantro.


Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit


Spray a 9X13 pan with PAM


Lay a tortilla out on a cutting board.  Fill each with 3/4 cup of the meat mixture.  Dot each with 1Tbsp of sour cream. 

Roll tightly and place in the dish seam side down.  Lay it out so that the open end is pushed up against the narrower end of the pan.  Repeat with 3 more to fill the row.  Then repeat with another row of four.


Spread remaining 1/2 cup sour cream over the top


Spread remaining 1/2 cup salsa over the top


Sprinkle the leftover cheese to cover.


Bake 15 min on the middle rack.  Once the cheese is nice and melty, remove from  the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.  Serve!

 

Photo credit

Posted by momstown mama on 01/20/2012 - 11:00
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Easy Curried Chicken Bengal

Thanks to a momstown Burlington for passing along whit quick and delicious recipe for Curried Chicken Bengal.

 

  • Brown four boneless chicken breasts in deep frying pan with 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter. Remove once browned and set aside.
  • Add to pan  one diced onion.
  • Once onion starts to soften, add in the following mixture: 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup mixed with 2 -3 tbsps of curry powder and 2 soup cans of milk. Add back in chicken to simmer.
  • Add in 2 apples cored and thinly sliced.
  • Simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken and apples are soft.
  • Optional, add in 1/2 cup raisons at the end. 

 

The kids love this sweet and slightly spicy dinner in our house.

 

Posted by momstown mama on 01/20/2012 - 05:00
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Slow Cooker Bean Soup

When I first read this recipe for Congressional Bean Soup I thought hmmm, not sure if I’ll like this.  But it is now my favourite soup! My kids like it too and I have been known to blend it up for babies or strain a bit for finger food.

 

bean soup recipe


I’ve adapted the original recipe from Crockery Cookery to adjust for my family.

  • 8 cups water
  • 1 lb dried small white beans
  • 1 meaty ham bone OR 2 cups diced cooked ham
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3-4 carrots finely chopped
  • 1 large potato peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper


It’s traditional to presoak dried beans but being the busy mom I am who’s throwing things into the slow cooker in a daze in the morning, I have yet to plan a pre-soak, and the soup has always turned out. So if you’re inclined, presoak in boiling water for an hour, drain and dump into the slow cooker. OR just put them in as is!


Add everything together and cook on low ALL day 10-12 hours. If you used a bone, pull it out when the soup is almost done, cut the ham into small bitesize pieces  and turn the meat into the soup. Serve soup hot. This recipe makes about 6-8  servings.


Awesome with Quick biscuits or Quick Beer Bread.

Posted by momstown mama on 01/16/2012 - 00:53
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Cooking with Kids: Carrot Pineapple Muffins

I do love to bake with my kids so we make a lot of muffins! Fills the freezer with great grab and go snacks and allows me to sneak in extra goodness into them.

 

child stirring baking


My kids are super mixers, measurers and muffin liner layers. But it’s also important to familiarize our kids with not just the process but also the tools. My 6 and 4 year olds are now learning to use basic kitchen items like the carrot peeler and an old-school shredder.

 

carrot shredder


Both tools can be sharp but I am so impressed with the diligence and attention the kids are using when working with them.  The kids feel empowered to be trusted with a big job and it’s a win-win as the work is shared!


Have a look around your kitchen and find some tools your kids can use. The more involved the are in the full recipe, the more engaged they will continue to be.

carrot pineapple muffins

Carrot Pineapple Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cup flour (I use whole wheat)
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup drained crushed pineapple (puree to better hide from the kids!)


Beat eggs and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Fill greased muffin tins ¾ full. Bake for 25 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.


** Optional – I like to add a couple of tablespoons of ground flax seed to the flour. Or sometimes replace a ½ cup of flour with wheat bran, makes for a denser muffin but  still delicious.

 

Other great muffins for the freezer are:

Banana Bran Muffins

Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins

 

Posted by momstown mama on 01/15/2012 - 23:58
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Glazed Carrots

glazed carrots

During the holidays my family gets together and each of us are in charge of bringing a dish or two. Glazed carrots is a family favourite! Here's the recipe I've been using since I can remember.

2-3 cups baby carrots (or large carrots cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
fresh minced parsley or chives

In a medium skillet, melt butter. Add brown sugar, honey, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix together. Add carrots. Cover; cook on medium low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When finished cooking, the carrots should be firm, not mushy.

Remove from skillet and sprinkle with fresh parsley and/or chives. Serve.

 

Thanks to Ester from momstown Winnipeg for sharing her great side dish!

Posted by momstown team on 01/13/2012 - 00:33
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Time to detox with a kid-friendly green smoothie!

green smoothie

I love January because it seems like everyone’s making a fresh start.  The gyms are packed, the web is overloaded with healthy recipes, and the talk shows are all about New Year’s resolutions. 

Well let me tell you, this green smoothie thing is one resolution you can follow through on!
  
Take it from me, I used to be afraid of green smoothies. You see, when I pictured a green smoothie I imagined V8 and Clamato juice. Ugh, gag me with a spoon.

After much skepticism, I finally dove in and made one.  

But before we go any further, you need to understand one thing about me – something MUST taste good in order for me to consume it. Healthy or not!  Taste is a number one priority.

So now that you know that, know this: I LOVE my green smoothies.

I’ve learned how to make sure our smoothies taste good, even your kids (and probably your husband) will like this green smoothie.  Soon your cells will be singing for a green smoothie! 

Here are FIVE tips to get you started:

1. Start with spinach as your main “green”. Spinach blends really well. You can’t even tell it’s in there! Whether you’re making your smoothies with a $40 immersion blender, or a $300 high-speed blender, the spinach disappears. When you get comfortable with greens in your smoothies, try different dark leafy greens, like kale, collards, romaine or swiss chard.


2. Gradually increase your greens. Don’t make your very first smoothie with two cups of packed kale. Start with a 1/4 of a cup of greens and gradually build up to as much as your taste buds will allow.


3. Start with a little bit of juice. We have been making smoothies for at least 6 or 7 years. They’ve really evolved over the years, but they started out with juice and no greens. I’ve slowly weaned myself off of juice, but I still use apple cider in the kids’ smoothies.


4. Start with the fruits you love. I find raspberries make our smoothies super sweet and delicious. They happen to be my favorite fruit, so maybe that’s why they work so well for me. I also really like to throw in some banana.


5. Throw in some dried fruit. I like to use goji berries or dates to sweeten our green smoothies. They’re naturally sweet and FULL of healthy goodness.

Here’s my version of a green smoothie, the beginner’s version:
* I don’t normally measure my ingredients. It changes day-to-day, based on who I’m making a smoothie for and what ingredients we have on hand.

2 ½ cups water or juice (or a combo of the two)
A handful of goji berries (or 1-2 medjool dates)
½ cup of frozen blueberries
1/4-1/2 frozen banana chopped into chunks
½ cup frozen strawberries or raspberries
3 tbsp chilled nettle tea (a great source of potassium, calcium, and beta-carotene)
2 cups greens (I like baby spinach, kale or romaine lettuce)
1 tbsp ground flax or ground chia
Add water to blender or immersion blender container. Add goji berries, blueberries, banana, strawberries, nettle tea, and greens. Blend until combined. Add ground flax or chia and blend. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 adult-sized green smoothies & 2 child-sized smoothies

Are you already riding the green smoothie train?  Share some of your favorite ingredients below. 

 

Posted by Gluten Free Maggie on 01/12/2012 - 23:00
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