Make 'em Cook!
What’s for dinner?”
It’s the nightly impassioned plea from kids across the Ozarks. Check out these age-by-age tips for helping you and your child figure out the answer together by exploring nutrition and basic cooking skills. The end result can be quality time with your child and a dinner on the table that does not come from a box.
Cooking with Small Children
Children ages 4 to 8 enjoy being involved, says Debbi Stinnet, culinary arts graduate and OTC continuing education instructor. The key is organization and a little advance planning. “Small kids love doing it themselves, but they lose interest fast, so you have to keep things moving,” she says. You need to have all ingredients out and measured. Setting up the counter—so they have access to all the ingredients and supplies—will keep them on task.
At this age, Stinnet says some of the little details can make cooking dinner with mom or dad even more fun. “Get them their own aprons and supplies,” she says. “When we make pizzas or a fruit dish in class, I make sure they each have their own to work on. They don’t want to see an adult show them how. They want to do it themselves.” Stinnet says this age group enjoys creating pizzas, fruit salad, the old standby ants on a log, pita sandwiches and tortilla roll up.
But it’s not all about the food. Cooking time is also an opportunity to teach kids about healthy food choices and good hand washing. And creating a meal also improves kids’ self esteem when they are allowed to plan and pick out their own meal (with just a little guidance).
Cooking With Tweens
By the time they reach ages 8 to 12, kids are ready to take on the whole enchilada: a full meal from appetizer through dessert. “This doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy,” says Stinnet. Because these children are older, they can handle measuring, assembling all the ingredients and reading the recipe instructions. You still don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, but tweens have patience the younger kids lack.
For this age group, try pizzas, healthy nachos (grilled chicken, veggies, low-fat cheese and salsa), veggie bars and fruit-based desserts.
Cooking With Teens
Stinnet says older teens like many of the same dishes as the tweens, but they enjoy stepping it up a bit. “Older teens love appetizers and making homemade versions of their favorite foods,” she says.
For this group consider homemade salsas, sauces and bruschetta. You could even try homemade pastas. Soymilk smoothies, quesadillas and panini sandwiches are also good options for this age group.
Beating the Fast Food Craze
In addition to the health and budget benefits of eating at home, Stinnet says that great food does not require a great amount of time. She recommends shopping for some of the half-prepared foods, like grilled chicken, that can make it easier to cook at home.
But avoid the common pitfall of making it a chore. Keep it fun and interesting. Take kids to the farmers’ market or grocery store, and teach them about different foods and seasonal items. The more exposure they get, the more interest they will have.
Vegetarian
Your middle schooler announces that he wants to become a vegetarian. How do you balance his newfound lifestyle choice with your nutrition concerns as a parent?
Start by understanding why he’s made this decision, says David Dade, registered dietitian at Cox Wellness and Sports Nutrition. It’s easier for parents to work with their child if they understand whether the decision is based on nutrition, animal rights or some other philosophy. Once you understand the background for the decision, keep the following questions in mind.
• How do you keep protein in their diet?
Protein is necessary for growth and the repair of tissue, says Dade. Meat protein is complete, meaning it contains all the essential building blocks of protein. Plant proteins do not contain all these building blocks. When you combine two complimentary plant proteins, such as seeds and nuts with grains, you are able to get all the essential building blocks. Keeping dairy, eggs, soy products, low-fat cheese and cottage cheese in the diet helps provide protein as well.
• How should parents achieve balance?
Parents should pay attention to the quality and balance of the diet. These kids can substitute protein for meat in other ways, through nuts, beans, legumes and lots of veggies. Sometimes smaller snacks in between meals can help as well.
• Is it a problem for growing kids not to eat meat?
Dade says a vegetarian diet can be very healthy when done properly. It might even be helpful to consult a registered dietitian when your child makes the shift.
• What are the health benefits?
The typical vegetarian diet is lower in saturated fats and higher in fiber. These nutrients help cardiovascular health and cancer prevention.
• What’s the healthiest diet?
The properly balanced vegetarian diet can be very healthy. But a diet that includes lean beef, chicken, pork and fish can also be very healthy, says Dade. “The key thing is consuming adequate and complete protein sources—plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole-grains and healthy fats.”
