Cooking for kids

What do you cook for your kids?


As my nephews & nieces often come and stay with me overnight. I don't have an oven only a microwave and stove-top...for just me this is okay as I tend to eat out for work reason. When they are here for more than one or two nights I am stump on what to cook for them as pizza everynight is not good. They are between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.


*********Not sure if this goes here or maybe under pratical or recipes.******************

you picked the right place!


What a good uncle/aunt (and sibling!) you are!!


What CAN you cook?? That is the best place to start. They are old enough to eat 'adult food'... but there is no sense in making yourself crazy with recipes you don't know.


How about Pasta and Sauce with some vegetables?

Mild curry with rice?


Also have some 'healthy' snacks in the fridge - apples, carrot sticks, yogurt, make a fresh fruit salad, if you have a blender make smoothies!

kids love to participate - so if you can get them to participate - I'd let them. (if you have time and the energy - it ain't easy for sure.)


www.marthastewart.com often has great kids recipes that are friendly and easy to do.


http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.88810bd6b10e44e90ad59df8d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=6600281a117ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=6600281a117ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=leftnav_kids_cooking-with-kids&lastnavigatedchannel=b15e281a117ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD


the above is a direct link to her kids cooking page. have fun and GOOD LUCK!

cri

Thanks. Actually, you already pegged my entire diet and cooking expertise.


hkchoichoi

that is great "kids love to participate" this entire time I have been thinking about what I can make for them but I should be focusing on how I can get them involved. Which I beleive is good because it also indirectly teaching them to make healthy choices about what they eat.

Thanks for the link too - will check it out!


If anyone has other ideas please do share.

You can make Crepes... and have savoury fillings for dinner and a sweet one (maybe fruit like mango and banana) for dessert... it is fun, and everyone gets to help.


Dumplings are also fun - you can buy the wrappers, make the filling (opt for vegetarian so they don't wind up licking raw meat off of their fingers) and everyone can try to fill and 'pinch'... the 5 year old might not really be able to, but can have fun getting messy!


Salad - put a bowl of lettuce on the table, and smaller bowls of 'toppings' tomatoes, capers, sun dried tomatoes, raisins, crutons, anything they might like... and have them 'make their own'.


Noodles - same concept - have some rice noodles (or even spaghetti or linguini) make them then run cold water over them to rinse off the startch and make cold, drain well, then add some sesame oil. Then have smaller bowls with toppings - soy sauce, chives, corriander, meat, fish, bean sprouts, etc.. and they can make their own bowl of noodles - again very simple and you can prepare in advance.


Dips - cut carrots and celery and cucumber and serve guacamole and hummos and salsa - all easy to make in advance and put in the fridge - it's healthy and fun to dip.


Also, ask their parents what they like at home... so you don't spend hours thinking of something, buying all the ingredients and having it not work out...

I was just looking online for some recipes for me, and found some sites that might help you:


http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/


http://www.easy-kids-recipes.com/easy-recipes.html


http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html


And an all time favourite for their baby site and toddler site:


http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/ Although for toddlers, most work for kids and even adults too!!

Get them to help you make healthy versions of their favourite foods - just ask them. Say a burger (you can buy fresh beef mince and just shape them then fry in fry pan) and they can add the salad they like. Also fajitas are good, stirfry up some chicken or beef and again let them make them up with their favourite salads, or cooked peppers, onions, sour cream mashed avocado. The fajita breads are available at most PNS and Wellcome and just leave out the spicy sauce if you / they don't like it.