Cooking With Kids

Cooking is so much more then dumping ingredients into a bowl and hoping a delicious dish pops out of the oven.  For your kids it’s learning math and science, it’s having fun with their mom, it’s making a mess and it’s discovering something new.  While cooking with kids can be frustrating for a parent who just wants to get the meal made and in the oven, it can be a bonding time that your children will remember forever.  So slow down and take some time to plan your kids into the meal preparation time!  Here are a few tips on how to include your children while cooking and what you can teach them during the process.

·         Involve Them in the Planning!

Let little Timmy decide what sounds good for dinner that night (you may have to help him by giving him a few options).  Then let them help you make the ingredient list, shop for the produce or find the needed ingredients in your pantry.  Whenever possible, let them make choices about the meal.

·         Create a Safe Environment

Give them their own workspace at a height that’s convenient for them.  Let them have their own spoon, children’s knife, bowl etc.  Don’t worry if their space gets messy and unorganized…just let them have fun in it!

·         Use Dirty Produce

Think we’re joking?  We’re not!  Take your kids to the farmers market and have them pick out the produce.  Let them see their food with dirt on it and teach them about how food grows, what a farmer does, how rain affects the growing process, and why we need to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.

·         Measure Up

Get them up close and personal with the fractions used in baking and cooking.  Teach them about using one cup or one half of a cup.  For kids that are in grade school and learning fractions, this is an excellent hands-on opportunity.  For kids who are too young for fractions, have them count how many times they stir the brownie batter or how many eggs go into the mix.

·         Follow Instructions

As children learn how to read, have them read the recipe and/ or ingredient list for you.  They will increase their vocabulary and learn the importance of following directions in a specific order.

·         Introduce New Foods

Kids are more likely to try a new food if they are involved in the preparation of it and are able to handle it before it’s prepared.  If you can get them to use the food in a creative way (mushrooms, olives and pepperoni to make a face on a pizza) they are also more likely to try it.

·         Other Little Tips

o   Let them press the buttons on the blender/ food processor

o   Give them a rolling pin and have them roll part of the cookie dough alongside you

o   Cut a sandwich with a cookie cutter to give it a fun shape

o   Have them help with clean-up

o   Cook when you aren’t starving…just enjoy the process!

Sources:

PBS Parents. (n.d.). Cooking with kids. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/food-and-fitness/eat-smart/cooking-with-kids/

Gastrokid. (2004, March 24). Top 10 tips for cooking with kids. Retrieved from http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/top-10-tips-for-cooking-with-kids

Pictures:

http://www.angellebatten.com/real-kids-get-messy-in-the-kitchen/

http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/

Breastfeeding: The Wonder Milk

All around the BYU-Idaho campus you will find mother’s rooms attached to the women’s restrooms.  There are small stalls with just one plush chair and other larger areas with three or four…sometimes a whole couch!  The mothers of BYU-Idaho are aware of the great benefits breastfeeding can bring to their babies as well as their own health.  Besides being obviously cheaper than buying cases of formula ($1200- $1500 cheaper per year!), breastfeeding has some bonus effects.

·    Breastfed babies typically get sick less. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ear infections, diarrhea, and stomach problems.

·    Your baby can see you up close and personal. Babies are born extremely nearsighted, which means they can only see things about 8 to 15 inches away. That also happens to be the distance between your face and your baby’s face when breastfeeding. So when your baby locks eyes with you, it’s a true bonding moment.

·    Breastfeeding allows your body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth more quickly. The hormones released when you breastfeed make your uterus contract back to its pre-pregnancy size.

·    Breastfeeding exposes your baby to many different tastes. Formula has one taste. But through your breast milk, your baby eventually gets a slight taste of whatever you eat, although not directly. This will later make introducing solid foods easier.

·    Breastfeeding may help you to lose weight. Mothers who exclusively breastfeed can burn as many as 600 calories a day, which may help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

·    Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in moms.

·    Your breast milk changes during a feeding session. When your baby first starts to nurse, your milk is a watery bluish color. Toward the end of the feeding session, your baby gets to thicker, fattier milk, which gives your baby the calories needed to grow healthy and strong.

·    Breast milk heals. Breast milk is filled with special components that are designed to help fight infection and cut down on swelling in the breast. So, if your breasts are sore those first few days, gently massaging some of your milk into your nipples and breasts can soothe the soreness and speed up recovery.

Even with all of these great effects, some women struggle to breastfeed their baby.  Whether it’s because they can’t produce enough milk, the baby won’t latch, or it’s painful for the mother, there are solutions!  The following are great websites with information on how to overcome breastfeeding challenges as well as more information on how to breastfeed and it’s benefits:

-          It’s Only Natural:  http://www.womenshealth.gov/ItsOnlyNatural

-          Your Guide to Breastfeeding: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/breastfeeding-9/nursing-basics

-          La Leche League International: http://www.llli.org/

Sources:

http://www.womenshealth.gov/ItsOnlyNatural/