Cook with Your Children

Teach your child to cook, give them skills and knowledge for the future to keep them eating right. Learning to cook may increase your child’s intellect including math, science, and language skills, as well as their creativity. It’s a great bonding experience for the family and may boost children’s self esteem. Children are more likely to eat something they helped create so teach them how to make healthy meals and snacks.

Although cooking with your children may be a lot of fun, keep in mind food preparation will take longer than usual, so save it for days when you have time and patience. Here are a few ideas of what different aged children are likely to be able to do in the kitchen. Choose tasks at your child’s level which will vary greatly within each age group.

Activities for children 3-6 years old:
Washing fruits and veggies
Cleaning the tables and counters
Making shapes with cookie cutters
Stir ingredients in a bowl
Shred lettuce for a salad
Add ingredients to the recipe

Activities for children 6-10 years old:
Reading recipes
Writing the shopping
Using measuring cups
Using a dull knife to spread
Prepping fruits and veggies without a knife (like husking corn)
Setting the Table
Pushing microwave buttons

Activities for children 10-13 years old:
Using a microwave, oven and stove (may require supervision)
Using a hand grater
Using a knife (may require supervision)
Operating a hand electric mixer

Activities for teens:
Planning a balanced meal
Reading a recipe and creating a shopping list
Operating a food processor and blender
Following recipes without supervision

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Fruit salsa is a fun summer recipe;great as a party appetizer or a family snack. For the best flavor substitute whatever fruit is in season or your family's favorites. Try bananas, peaches, raspberries, etc.

All this luscious fruit is full of antioxidants and fiber and is great for your health. Cut the fruit into small pieces so they'll be easy to scoop or leave in larger chunks to serve as a fruit salad. The sugar in the salsa is optional and your tastes as well as the fruit used will determine if it's necessary. You may substitute other sweeteners for the sugar such as honey, agave, or apricot preserves.


Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Servings: 20

1 apple -- cored and diced
1 cup strawberries
2 kiwi fruit -- peeled and diced
3/4 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar -- optional
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

olive oil spray
10 whole wheat tortillas
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, mix together Fuji apple, strawberries, kiwis, lime juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Spray tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cut into 8 wedges and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

Serve the cinnamon chips warm with the chilled fruit salsa.



Per Serving: 88 Calories; 1g Fat; 2g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 191mg Sodium.