Mar 05 2008
Lessons Learnt When Cooking as a Family
Cooking can be a chore for some, but if you add a little twist to it, and involve other members of the family, it can be less of a burden for mom and more fun for the kids.
Many mothers hesitate to invite children in the kitchen because they are afraid of it creating an even bigger mess to clean up. However, by involving children, thee are quite a few valuable lessons that you can teach without them even knowing
Healthy Eating Habits
If children are more involved with the cooking and preparation of meals, they have a more up front chance to look and talk about different food groups. You can try a new color vegetable a week or explain the difference between whole grain and white bread or lean cuts of meat and other varieties. You can experiment with cooking lighter versions of their favorite like using skim milk in mac n cheese rather than whole milk and because they helped prepare it, they will never say that it doesn’t taste good.
Cultural Sensitivity
You can also give a social studies lesson in different ethnicities by cooking foods from different parts of the world. If you experiment with cooking Chinese food one day and Mexican specialties the other, you can take it as an opportunity to talk about the geography of that country, and a little about their culture and traditions so that children start looking behind their own comfort zone and begin to accept people even if they look a little different than they do.
Math & Reading
You can sneak in a mini math lesson by letting your children help you measure ingredients. You can test their skills by asking them to half a recipe or double it to make two batches of brownies. Children can practice their reading by reading out recipes aloud and then looking for those ingredients in the pantry or spice drawer.
Safety
You can even teach children about safety when cooking with them as you can explain what kinds of dishes can go in the microwave and what cannot. You can also talk about turning pot handles inwards and always using oven mitts and other safety precautions.
Bonding
Over and above all these lessons, you can use cooking as a family bonding experience and get the children’s input at every stage, from menu planning, grocery shopping, sorting things in a pantry, preparing the meal, serving it – and helping clean up afterwards too!
Holiday Menus
(NC)—Try making this delicious Homegrown Ontario Pulled Pork simple slow cooker recipe this holiday season and see the difference a little planning makes. Great as an appetizer served on a crostini, this savoury morsel will save you time in the kitchen while impressing your guests. More delicious appetizer recipes can be found online at [...]
(NC)—Adding new flavour to traditional foods can be fun and be a great way to get family members to try new foods. Indian flavoured products are becoming widely available and provide a great opportunity to create mouthwatering recipes for the whole family. This shrimp korma recipe is a quick and easy one for the entire [...]
(NC)—Mulligatawny soup originally became popular with the British stationed in India (employees of the East India Company) during Colonial Times. When they returned home, they brought the recipe back with them to England, and to other members of the Commonwealth. In fact Mulligatawny is the Anglicized name of two words for “pepper water,” molegoo (pepper) [...]
(NC)—Here are two easy ways to bring some excitement to your next children’s party – Wacky Waikiki or Purple Razzle Dazzle Shakes. For dozens more delicious treats to thrill your child, visit www.homebasics.ca.
Wacky Waikiki Shake
2 large ripe bananas, peeled and quartered
1 can frozen pineapple or pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed (6 oz)
1/2 cup milk
4 scoops Breyers [...]
Savor the Flavor Every Day, Every Way
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(ARA) – Long overlooked, mushrooms are nature’s hidden treasure for helping those focusing on living a healthful life. To promote the nutritional benefits of fresh produce this back-to-school season, Weight Watchers continues Pick of the Season, a public health initiative spotlighting seasonal fruit and vegetables, with recipes this quarter [...]
Skyrocketing gas prices and escalating grocery costs have put getting more for a dollar top-of-mind for many consumers. Many Americans are tailoring their grocery shopping lists to ensure they get more bang for their buck. That means purchasing items that provide the best nutritional punch for their value.
Luxury items like prepackaged or single serve meals [...]
Blueberries are most abundant and least expensive in the summer, making it an ideal time to get your fill of these little blue gems. Stock the fridge and freezer with blueberries to make meals, snacks and desserts that are easy on the cook. Blueberries never need to be peeled, pitted, stemmed or chopped –just a [...]