I know how it goes: getting home cooked meals on the table after a hectic day feels like an impossible task, so when you finally make it happen, you are thrilled to sit down to a nourishing meal that you provided for your family. And then, the battle begins with shouts of “yucky!” and “you can’t make me eat this!” Do you take on the battle or do you make additional meals out of exhaustion, all while your food goes cold?
I know it seems too simple to be true, but one way to avoid this scenario is to include your kids in the meal prep and cooking process of the household meals. This creates a sense of control over what they want to eat, as well as develop a sense of pride for the food they helped to prepare. Here are some ideas for how to include children in meal planning and preparation, along with some easy wins to keep things healthy!
Planning
- Turn grocery shopping into a game. Pretend it’s a mission and each kid has to find an important item you need to make the meals for the week. Not only does this allow you to divide and conquer, but your kids will feel a sense of responsibility and develop an understanding the ingredients needed to prepare meals.
- Incorporate your children’s preferences into meal planning; but in sneaky ways. Ask whether they would be open to trying a new dish that includes some familiar ingredients they enjoy, while also mentioning what makes it different and worth a taste. If they end up liking the new dish, you’ll have one more option for future meals. It’s okay if your child only likes carrots and cucumbers, those are two vegetables you can include with most meals; just ask them at the grocery store to add one additional vegetable they are willing to try in the recipe they picked out with you.
Prepping
- Gauge what sparks interest. This can be useful in determining what prep tasks kids will enjoy. For example, if they’re fascinated by how things work, have them place fruits, veggies, nuts, nut milk, and other ingredients into a blender and press the button to transform the ingredients into a smoothie. If they are fascinated with the cooking process, let them stand on a stool near enough to the stove (being careful that they are not too close to heat or splashing sauces) and let them be in charge of the stirring.
Tip: Making smoothies together is a great activity. It is fun to prepare, packs in nutrients (sneak in some veggies!), and is efficient and versatile. Make extra for smoothie bowls or homemade popsicles to switch things up! - Make it part of the weekend. Long weekend days are ideal for meal prep and are golden opportunities for getting kids involved and spending quality time with them. Plus, they’ll be more excited if you make their favorite foods!
If you’re making waffles or pancakes, kids can perform simple tasks, like pouring ingredients or stirring the batter! Though you wouldn’t pack veggies into waffles, you can put a healthier spin on them by adding berries, nuts, or seeds to the batter and swapping out all-purpose or wheat flour with coconut, oat, almond, or cassava flour.
Tips: Use overripe fruit, a little honey, and some cinnamon or a dash of maple syrup to make a compote to use as a topping (rather than syrup). You can also make extra batter and change up the format – make waffles one day and pancakes the next! - Practice chopping. Depending on their ages, children can help chop veggies! Some knives, like these from Curious Chefs, are designed specifically for kids. They’re just sharp enough to cut veggies, but won’t cut hands.
Tip: Use chopped veggies in pastas, soups, stir-fries, salads, grain bowls, etc.
Easy Wins
- Play with toppings. Topping-friendly meals, whether tacos or pizza, allow kids to assemble their own
dishes and choose what they want to add. Having lots of colorful vegetables and protein options is an easy way to pack in the nutrients. We do a lot of build-your-own everything in our household, such as sushi bowls, taco salad bowls, rice paper veggie wraps, sweet and/or red potatoes with a variety of toppings to choose from, and more. The kids love building their own meal! - Give veggies a makeover. If your child is a picky eater, give veggies a little flair! Make smoothies or sauces with brightly colored vegetables to add vibrancy, and add fresh herbs, garlic, and other spices to boost flavor and mask the vegetable taste. For example, try kale and spinach pesto or a red sauce made from sundried tomatoes and red bell peppers.
- You can also make meals that keep veggies relatively out of sight. Foods like enchiladas allow veggies to hide under a tortilla. Adding beans, sauce, rice, and cheese to the mix also helps take the spotlight away from the veggies.
Tip: Reuse homemade sauces as dips for vegetable sticks, a sauté, or a condiment.
Need more inspiration? Join an online kid’s cooking class! Raddish kids will send you a box full of everything you need to prepare a healthy meal with your child. Check it out! https://www.raddishkids.com/
How does meal prep go in your household?
I’d love to hear from you!
Kimberley
