Getting the Kids Involved in the Kitchen

Getting kids to eat healthy and make better choices about what’s good for them has become a full time job for parents all over the world. With all the false marketing, fat-free, gluten free, low calorie, etc makes it hard to understand if what you’re really buying is actually good for you or just a play on words to make you think what you’re consuming and buying is actually good for you and your family. It really comes down to education and understanding a label and what’s really in your food and what you’re buying.

Kids follow by example especially if you start them off early. They’ll actually surprise you on the things they pick up listening to you and having them get involved in what their eating just by starting a garden or getting them involved in the kitchen to help cook can make all the difference for the choices they make for the rest of their lives!

Having them get their hands dirty in the garden, teaches them to tend and care for what their growing, help them understand how things grow and all the work that goes into going from a seed to your plate, it also allows them to appreciate their food and what their consuming.

No time or space for garden? Get them in the kitchen with you! Have them chop vegetables if their old enough to use a knife, pull up a stool let them stir the pot of sauce or help make scrambled eggs. Allow them to set the table, or help clean up. Even just grabbing a chair and have them sit next to you and watch while you prep veggies, cook chicken, or watch the water boil can allow them to get excited and what to learn more. Kids are hands on and learn quickly by getting involved and working with their hands, you just may have to carve out an extra 5 minutes to set them up or let them get under your feet a little more.

Have picky eaters? Make dinner fun where they can get their hands dirty and build their own dinners. Make your own pizza night, build your own fish tacos, fill your omelets with all their goodies, let them make homemade Popsicles, snacks or desserts.

Check out this recipe for making your own fish tacos. Place everything on a cutting board on a large plate in separate parts. Give them a plate with a soft or hard taco and let them build their own!! I guarantee they’ll love it! Fish not our your kid’s menu, use chicken, lean steak, or pork. Even beans will give them the protein they need and fill up those starving bellies! ;)

Ingredients:

• 6-8 soft or hard tacos (more or less depending how many mouths you’re feeding)
• 1/4 head of purple cabbage- chopped
• 2 carrots-match sticked
• fresh cilantro- torn into small pieces
• 1-2 tomatoes-sliced
• 1/2 cup black olives- sliced if you like
• 1 avocado- sliced or halved
• 7-9 oz of protein. White flaky fish works best if you want fish. Rockfish, cod, flounder, etc.
• small bowl of salsa
• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 lime-juiced
• fresh herbs of your choice

Directions:

1. On the grill or in a saute pan cook protein till fully cooked. If using fish. I add lime juice and add some fresh rosemary and oregano. Place on the grill for 10-12 minutes until it cooks through.
2. Add all veggies, olives, and herbs to a large plate or cutting board
3. warm up your tacos shells or tortillas.
4. In small bowls add yogurt/sour cream and salsa
5. Place on table. Give everyone a plate and taco shell and you’re ready to build your own! Let them make a mess it tastes better! ;)

 

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