{"id":52781,"date":"2016-05-12T18:19:02","date_gmt":"2016-05-12T22:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=52781"},"modified":"2016-05-13T10:58:52","modified_gmt":"2016-05-13T14:58:52","slug":"cooking-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/ja\/journal\/cooking-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking With Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you remember the culinary moments\u00a0of your childhood? Maybe you spent Sunday afternoons stirring up pots of noodle soup with Mom, or eating syrup-soaked pancakes at your grandparent\u2019s kitchen table. Maybe it was the game that Dad played with your broccoli, making it far more appealing than it would otherwise have been.\u00a0Regardless of who you were with or what you ate, these first moments with food are precious.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our early experiences with food\u00a0lay the groundwork for the way that we will nourish\u00a0both our bodies and souls. It can be difficult to help children make healthy eating choices, especially after they\u2019ve had their first taste of cookie dough ice cream. One way to instill healthy<\/a> eating choices is to involve children in the creation of meals. By developing hands-on habits, your little ones will learn to love the process surrounding mealtime, and develop a healthy relationship to both their bodies and the things that feed them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Planning a Menu<\/h3>\n

One easy way to get kids excited about cooking is to invoke their vivid\u00a0imagination. Encourage them to use their creativity by creating the week\u2019s menu. Discuss their favorite foods, and what they might have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that week.<\/span><\/p>\n

This also means teaching them about diversity in cooking. Suggest that they plan meals filled with varying\u00a0ingredients and colors. For example, how about adding some blueberries<\/a> to those pancakes, or green peas to the pasta? What would they love to add to a grilled cheese sandwich, or what would make salmon more fun? You can even have theme nights, such as Superhero Dinner, Pirate Night, or a Princess Party. By giving your children a share of the responsibility, you allow them to develop ownership over their meal choices and help nurture a sense of accomplishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going Shopping<\/h3>\n

When I was young, there were few things I loved more than going to the farmers market<\/a>. There were so many colors, flavors, and smells; it was the most amazing and sensual experience for my little five-year-old mind. <\/span><\/p>\n

Going to the market encourages kids to ask questions and learn about the origins of their food. It\u2019s a good habit to instill early on, as many adults are disconnected from the journey of their foods. By finding out where the strawberries were grown, what pesticides are, and how the animals were raised, kids become a part of the entire agricultural process. They\u2019ll understand that food is more about eating; it\u2019s about making good choices that keep the Earth (as well as our bodies) happy and healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"iStock_000006253801_Medium\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Embrace DIY Culture<\/h3>\n

There’s just something to be said about doing it yourself. Start a garden<\/a> so the\u00a0whole family\u00a0can witness the process of food creation, from the first seeds to the final stalk. Teach them about seasons and life cycles. As you work in the garden, teach the kids about the various health benefits of each item, or the different ways that particular ingredient can be used. (For example, pumpkins are delicious in pies and muffins, but also provide lots of tasty vitamins!) The benefits of\u00a0starting a garden are many: Your family will save money, the kids will take on more responsibility, and you\u2019ll all have plenty of memories and great things to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

But you don\u2019t have to stop there! There are dozens of other ways to get DIY, including pickling your own<\/a> products, baking bread, and making your own cheese. These methods are healthier and more financially feasible, giving you and your family weekend activities that reap dozens of benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Become a Sous-Chef<\/h3>\n

Increasing involvement in the kitchen is key to building healthy eating habits. Kids are oftentimes more capable than we give them credit for. You can easily find a multitude of fun tasks to help them aid in the meal\u2019s creation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Younger children<\/a>, for example, can help in assembling the materials (getting out the butter, pasta, spoons, etc.), stirring and sifting, or fetching fresh herbs from the garden. Older children can aid in more complicated tasks, like making marinades, mashing potatoes, cracking eggs, scooping spaghetti squash, and blending smoothies. Witnessing the process not only helps a child take ownership over the meal, but it creates lasting memories that lead to a long-term healthy relationship with food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Playing with Food<\/h3>\n

Even adults love eating with their hands from time to time! One great way to get kids to eat more vegetables is to cut them into\u00a0fun-shaped objects, or to serve them with a dipping sauce.\u00a0If your child is really stubborn and refuses to eat anything that resembles a plant, there are <\/span>tasty products<\/span><\/a> that find ways to sneak in a handful of veggies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"KalePuff\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And as an adult, you can totally still use your imagination. Those aren\u2019t broccoli stalks; those are trees! Maybe your kid is a hungry dinosaur, and needs to eat the entire forest. Turn cauliflower into pizza crust or rice. Build a sushi plate that sneaks in carrots and avocado, and have an \u201cUnder the Sea\u201d night. Mealtime can be fun for the entire family.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your methods, by approaching the kitchen and your child\u2019s eating habits with a sense of play and attention, you\u2019ll transform eating from an obligation into an activity. Watch as your kids develop healthy and mindful eating patterns, and\u00a0savor the memories for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s never too early to begin developing a relationship with food that’s nourishing for both your body and mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":788,"featured_media":54175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1055],"tags":[2010,554,1602,171,1193],"class_list":["post-52781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nourish","tag-cooking","tag-fun","tag-healthy-eating","tag-kids","tag-vegetarian"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCooking With Kids<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's never too early to begin developing a relationship with food that's nourishing for both your body and mind.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/journal\/cooking-with-kids\/\" \/>\n<meta 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