Pre-Kindergarten Cooking Concoctions 101

I am a mother to a amazing little 5-year-old named Bella. She just started Pre-K this year and is now very independent. She is ALWAYS wanting to help me out in the kitchen. Sometimes I find myself scurrying her out of the kitchen to prepare a nice meal, but that may not be the best move. Cooking with your child can offer not only some important bonding time, but can also set the foundations to healthier eating habits and life-long cooking skills.

Uncle Ben's (the fantastic little rice company) has teamed up with Rachel Ray and are offering a wonderful contest called "Ben's Beginners". Uncle Ben's wants to help parents foster healthy eating habits AND quality time in the kitchen with their little ones. Check out the Ben's Beginner's contest for your chance to win $20,000 in CASH, an appearance on the Rachel Ray Show, and $50,000 to make-over your child's school cafeteria. Contest ends 2/26/2012.

Here are some of my tips for successfully cooking up some creative and healthy concoctions with your child.

1. Keep it Simple- Yes this should be a given,  but keep it simple. Depending on your child's age you can assign tasks to the child. My daughter is my official "supreme stirrer". If I need anything stirred she is my go-to person. Whether it is dips, batter, or spices, she will have them stirred ( and sometimes shaken) to utter perfection. 
2. Be Creative- Kids are naturally attracted to pretty things, so why should food be any different. All too many times I have seen sad looking, runny, green goo sitting on a plate with a parent yelling "TRY IT!! I PROMISE IT IS GOOD!". Okay, it may taste just great, but appearance is key for kids. Keep the packaging attractive. I own a hard boiled egg molds (you can find these at most Asian markets) that I use to mold not only hard-boiled eggs, but rice into cute little characters. We have a panda and an elephant and they are always a hit. You can also use cookie cutters and veggie cutters to create simple yet interesting food. 
3. Gourmet for Kids- Just because something is an "adult" food doesn't mean a child won't like it. I always make my daughter take a bite of the food regardless of whether it is something I think she will like or not. My daughter is a huge fan of pasta with greek yogurt, mint, paprika, and garlic. Who would have thought? 
4. Don't fear the mess- Cooking with children can be messy, but that is okay. Consider it part of the job. Don't get upset if a little mess is created. You know you are cooking up some goodness when it looks like a hurricane went through your kitchen.
5. Food Guru- If you child is in the kitchen with you when you cook you can turn it into a game. As you are cooking ask your child to name off the food items that are going into the dish. Everyone will be impressed when your 6 year-old can tell the difference between Romaine, Spinach, and Cilantro in the grocery section. Children are sponges and the more healthy food choices they are around, the more likely they are to try them.
6. Trial and Error- If you love to cook you are aware of all the trial-and-error it can take to get a dish exactly the way you like it. I know when I was first really learning to cook I learned the most from my errors, so don't be afraid to let your child experiment. If she wants to mix some "strange" ingredients together, let her try a small portion and she will learn what works and what doesn't. (Obviously work in small portions when "trialing" something)

Here are a few of my favorite creative kid's lunch ideas. They are cute AND healthy.

• Veggie Flowers from FamilyFun.
• Sandwich on a Stick from Livestrong.com
• Cute Heart-shaped lunches from Lisa Storms.
• Check out Food Networds "Cooking for Kids" videos for some great ideas.

What kid-friendly cooking tips do you have??




*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.