Join me on $5 Dinners, where I’m sharing about our Cook Box...
The Cook Box led to a Cooking Fun habit. Following is a compiled list of posts on cooking fun with children. Kids in the kitchen. All those easy things we whipped up through 2010:
Each week in my meal plan I intentionally include cooking fun. Simple, easy, on-hand cooking ideas to whip up with the children. I want to cook with them on purpose. Teach them to enjoy the process. So it has to be fun!
•Cooking fun: Crock Pot Applesauce•Cooking fun: Hot Chocolate Mix•Cooking fun: Sunbutter® Chex Sunny Muddy Buddies•Trail Mix by Littlest Girl•Back to Basics: The Cook Box – Now before you get on to me for allowing children to bake a bunch of sweets, the point is FUN. The cook box is part of the plan to be spontaneous. We have the ingredients on hand, all in one place, ready to stir up.
Mix up some memories! Each time I draw up a meal plan, I look for spots I can include the children in the baking and cooking. I call this list Cooking Fun and place it prominently at the top of my meal plan. See, I need these prompts. The children enjoy the spontaneity. I must seize the opportunity to teach, enjoy my children and allow them to be part of the action.Preschoolers as Part of the Action
Part One: Preschoolers as Part of the Action
Part Two: Recipe for Preschool Fun
It’s easy to include children in whipping up these easy recipes:
- •Cookies & Cream
- •S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g milk
- •Microwave Fudge or Oreo Truffles
- •Southern Living Two Step Pound Cake
- •Triple batch Buttermilk Biscuits from Menus for Moms (using buttermilk substitute)
- •Mixes, Homemade
- •Pimento Cheese
- •Mexican roll ups
- •homemade bread
- •triple batch of biscuits to freeze (maybe we’ll make star shapes again)
- • Sunbutter® balls using Southern Plate’s Peanut Butter Balls recipe
- •microwave fudge (allergy free for when the chocolate fix hits).
Claire says
January 14, 2012 at 9:32 PMWhat a neat idea! I have so many items right now to start this box. So do you do it once a week? or once a day? I must incorperate this into our homeschool day. I have 6 children ages 11-2. The last being our only girl. My boys enjoy being in the kitchen. Thank you for the idea!
Hodgepodgemom says
January 14, 2012 at 9:36 PMOh Claire – this will be perfect for you and your children! You can use the cook box to fit your family. We started out once a month but now use it about once day. Last week my 9yo made the biscuits to go with supper, pudding for dessert another night, a snack for tea time, muffins for breakfast. She absolutely loves to do it. And it’s a way for me to say yes. And, my two boys love to mix up things too!
Claire says
January 14, 2012 at 9:42 PMwould it be best to have pre-made mixes in it? It seems like it would be a good idea, Then they just add water, oil or an egg.
Hodgepodgemom says
January 14, 2012 at 9:43 PMThat’s what we find is best. A whole bunch of mixes, plenty of sprinkles 🙂