Kids in the Kitchen Early!!!

The McCaleb family knows that it is not always neat and clean, but getting their kids in the kitchen preparing healthy foods at a young age is vital.

Reynolds and Riley Kate are familiar with terminology relating to kitchen utensils and all kinds of ingredients. Recently they made homemade pizza and did not use the typical white flour which is devoid of nutrition. They used whole grain.

As they enjoyed the cooking process, they talked about the health benefits of the ingredients they were using. At the ages of 2 and 4, will they remember all these benefits they discussed from this one night? Certainly not but that's okay because their parents, Reed and Karie Sue are consistently teaching them in fun ways the values of making healthy choices.  Here is some great information they shared with me!

Interview with the McCalebs!

WHY DO YOU COOK WITH YOUR KIDS? Reed and I love cooking with Reynolds and Riley Kate because first of all it's FUN (they love exploring the tastes and textures) and secondly, it's important for the kids to see how the food gets from the ground/store to the plate. They have a better appreciation for the foods that they prepare, and they are more willing to "clean their plates" when they have helped prepare the meal. We let the kids help in the garden this summer too, which their faces when that first cucumber bloomed after they planted the seed were amazing. 

Did you all talk about why you were using whole grain flour?  We didn't necessarily use the term "whole grain" with them because it's a staple at our home. The kids didn't really notice, BUT when I added the wheat germ, they asked what the "special ingredient" was. That was the best opportunity to talk about vitamins and minerals, and how it was so good for our stomach, heart and brain. 

Also, when we are at the market, we let the kids choose the foods off the shelves, when picking the ham for the pizza, Ren picked a ham we choose not to buy, I asked him to put it back, and pick a specific kind that has no added nitrates. He asked why, so that was an opportunity to talk about additives that aren't good for our bodies. 

Do you talk about utensils, food terminology, and about kinds of foods?  Kitchen tools are the kids FAVORITE, even when we are not cooking the kids pretend with the different tools. In the photo, the kids were using the rolling pin, and that was just the best fun for them to roll and see how the dough shaped. A great texture lesson. They frequently ask what things are called and we show them how to use them appropriately...instead of using the rolling pin as a sword (as Reynolds as tried before :)) As for food groups, we just introduced the food pyramid to the kids, we talk about healthy foods and "sometimes" foods (treats and sweets). 

Why do you feel it is important to get your kids to eat healthy?  It's so important to help our kids make good food choices because as they grow up, as a mother, I hope they grow to be healthy eaters. More and more news and studies are available about the health of our culture--some of it is pretty scary, but SO AVOIDABLE. So we hope that by introducing great food, teaching the kids about how the food helps our bodies, they will grow to love healthy options. Most of all, I notice that their mood is improved, they play harder, and sleep better when they have balanced whole-food meals. 

What are a few creative tips and ideas you have to get your young kids to eat healthy! Some creative tips would be to let the kids play with the foods frequently, so they are not scared of the meal when it is put in front of them. For instance, counting dry beans or grouping fruits and veggies by colors, then playing a game where we eat something orange, then green, then purple... We make shapes with fruits, and I admit sometimes I will "sneak" good things in their meals (like flax oil and cider vinegar) Even a blind-fold guessing game is fun (we start with Dad, then Mom and let the kids feed us- then we try with them-lots of fun!) 

Reynolds has said before. "I don't want to try that because I've never had it before." He's afraid he won't like it. We encourage him to try ONE bite. If he doesn't like it, we will try another day. 9/10 times he says, "Hmm. That's not too bad, Mom!" I read an article in a parenting magazine that said when introducing a new food to babies, you have to try a new food at least 15 different times before giving up on the item. We kept that in mind too. There's also a song on Yo Gabba Gabba they like called "Try it, you'll like it" So we sing that occasionally to get them dancing, and that calms their fears about trying new things. 

If they REFUSE a food option, we don't make a big deal if they are eating the majority of their meal. There are certain foods I refuse to eat too (butter beans!). So I understand that they will have personal tastes, with the potential to grow those tastes to enjoy a better variety of things. The key for our family is not only giving it a chance, but also being good examples for the kids. When they see us eating good foods, they want whatever is on our plate because we are enjoying it.