Let Them Plan the Menu
Planning a menu together gives you a chance to talk about balanced meals and choosing healthy snacks. The trick is to give young menu planners some easy guidelines, unless you want ice cream for dinner every night. (We know, it's tempting.)
Make a Grocery List Together
Talk about general menu planning and allow them to pick out breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. It can be as easy as scanning through Aisles Online together.
Let Them Own It
As tough as it is to relinquish control, it'll be worth the Instagram photos. Put older kids in charge of part of the meal, such as dessert or a side dish. Talk about the ingredients they can use and encourage them to be creative!
Utilize Age-Appropriate Skills
Even the littlest hands can help. While you talk to your youngsters about cooking, keep them busy with simple kitchen tasks.
- 2-year-olds: wipe tabletops; wash fruits and vegetables, tear lettuce, carry ingredients, break broccoli into pieces
- 3-year-olds: knead dough; mix ingredients; apply spreads such as cream cheese, peanut butter or jelly; put things in the trash
- 4-year-olds: mash bananas with a fork; cut herbs and greens onions with kid-safe scissors; set the table
- 5- to 6-year-olds: measure ingredients; whisk eggs
Plan Customizable Meals
Allowing everyone to pick their own ingredients is a simple way to get the whole family involved. Build your own tacos, make personal pizzas, serve a baked potato buffet, or set up a salad bar. The same can apply to dessert, too. Who can say no to setting up the Sundae bar?
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