Your Family Kitchen: Getting Your Kids Involved

I am always looking for ways to be a family in the kitchen - especially if it means getting the kids in on the action. I never set my hopes high on how much they want to be involved on any given day but, if I can get them doing something, I take it as a win. 

We have had some great moments in our kitchen recently. It all started a few weeks ago when, fed up with no one wanting what I provide for any given meal (let's not pretend it is just dinner) or offering suggestions for what they want instead, I got out some of my favorite kid-friendly cookbooks, a bunch of sticky notes and told my kids to have at it. I asked them to read recipes (for the 7-year-old) and look at pictures (for the 5-year-old) and put a sticky note on a page if they would be interested in eating it (and helping make it, too). 

Our favorite cookbooks:

• 100 Days of Real Food
• The Best Homemade Kids' Lunches on the Planet
• The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet
• Weelicious

Instantly, we had over 100 recipes that both girls were dying to try. Ms. 5 has helped me make macaroni casserole and blueberry bread and she is particular fond of a recipe that involves stuffing white chocolate chips in raspberries. Ms. 7 was taken by the smoothie recipes and has learned that she can read, measure and blend the recipes all by herself. This has been so empowering to her and fun for me to watch.

You don't need to use the recipe books I've listed above. I am sure you have books or magazines in your house with colorful pictures of food. Try this with any age kid and have them help pick out recipes and help with meal planning!