Being in the kitchen for me is usually a pain. I don’t really like cooking but I do like baking. I am trying to not pass on my dislikes to my daughter which I feel is important. Whenever she asks to help she is usually dragging a chair across the kitchen floor to stand at the counters, I get frustrated because I am just trying to get dinner done but have to remember, she is excited and learning at the same time.
When there is no “cooking” activity for her to do she has to do some cleaning. As long as she is there at my side she does not seem to mind and after I make sure there is nothing sharp around I am relaxed and she is not asking me a million or so questions. I make sure I tell her what she “can” do and she has her job in the kitchen. I give her some soap and a sponge and she washes the dishes. She is happy and I am calm.
Her other kitchen activity is washing produce. She often helps to make salads. She rinses and dries lettuce, scrubs potatoes and washes other items for a salad. Sometimes I will just pull produce from the fridge for her to wash. If your at our house don’t worry, your fruit is clean. 🙂 She enjoys being in the kitchen and helping in any capacity but if I am cooking she has to be at the counters with me.
Some of the dinner help she does is pouring pre-measured items. She really likes putting the rice in the rice cooker. She gets to pour it in, rinse it, and then I help her to add water. She will wash lettuce, dry it and rip it for the salad. She is so proud to present what she has “cooked” at dinner and I have found the more I have her involved the more likely she is to eat it. She loves to eat the salads she made which is great!
Baking….messy, yummy, fun. I have always loved to bake, just as mother and grandmother have. I have used the pre packaged mixes, they are easy and quick when you need something to do. I have become more concerned with all the processed products so I have been looking for some healthier alternatives. That means less sugar and less preservatives. I have found some great no bake cereal bars. They are easy to make, easy for young kids to measure and stir. They are usually only 4 ingredients.
Here is one of the new recipes I found online (health.com) and it is a great snack food that my daughter loves to make and eat:
Cereal Bar:
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup almond butter or peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 cups whole-grain cereal flakes
- 2 cups oat and bran O’s cereal
- 2 tablespoons chopped, unsweetened dried cherries or substitute a dried fruit you like
Preparation
1. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the almond butter and honey on high for 30 seconds, then stir until blended. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the cereal flakes, O’s, and cherries. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warmed.
2. Gradually stir the almond butter mixture into the cereal until thoroughly and evenly coated. Press into the prepared pan. Refrigerate until set and firm. Cut into 10 bars.
(health.com)
Baking is a great opportunity to do some math through measuring, quantity, talking about size, counting and amount. Even if you don’t like baking these easy no bake recipes are a great way to start to get your children in to the kitchen, exploring measurement, food and health eating habits. Try out a recipe, they always remember what they make and love to share what they make with loved ones.
By Melissa