Dispelling the “Dinner Fairy” and “Lunch Leprechaun” myth

If you’ve read my writings before, you know how passionate I am about learning in the kitchen. I feel that your kitchen is the ideal setting to teach and learn. Kids respond to learning through cooking because they can take an active role in the process, and because it’s a hands-on learning experience. When a child assists in preparing a dish, they will often become agreeable, inquisitive, and creative; taking ownership and pride in what they are making. Even the pickiest eaters love to eat something and what child does not like to make a mess? But how do we actually get them to help; especially when (for whatever reason) we’ve conditioned them to believe in the “Dinner Fairy” and “Lunch Leprechaun” by making meals magically appear on the table? Eating out constantly only perpetuates these myths and teaches our children that meals are ordered, not prepared. We are all busy, but I encourage you to take at least one night a week and cook with your kids.

There are 4 key reasons to get your kids regularly involved in meal preparation:

1. If you’re busy or a single parent like me, doing everything is just not an option. If you plan right, you can cut meal preparation time in half by having kids pitch in.
2. If you’re insecure about your own culinary skills, what better way to improve them than by learning along with your children? Using kid’s recipes is a great way to start as they are usually much less complicated and since they are designed for kids, they taste good.
3. The self-confidence a child gains while cooking is invaluable and hard to equal. If your child does not naturally excel at sports or academics, cooking may be the perfect hobby for them.
4. If we teach our kids how to cook, we literally help extend their lives. If they leave home knowing how to prepare even a few healthful meals, we reduce the likelihood that they’ll take on unhealthy “fast food” diets as adults, and reduce their risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. There is no better gift.

When I first decided started including my now 8 year old son in the family cooking, the conversations would go something like this:

Mom: “Hey Boo, do you want to help me with dinner in a bit?”
Boo: “Umm… (long pause while thinking of an excuse that won’t hurt mom’s feelings), or you could make it?” “You cook good.”
Mom: “I always do it. It would be nice if you helped out.”
Boo: “But I don’t know how to cook.” He now has a very uninterested look on his face.
Mom: “Never mind, you can help me next week.” Feelings hurt and frustrated, I conceded and made dinner myself.

Then I realized that my approach and point of view were all wrong. After a bit of thought, I approached the subject again. The next conversation went like this:

Mom: “Boo, it will be time to make dinner in about 30 minutes. We’re making Sweet & Sour Meatballs.”
Boo: “Why do I have to help?”
Mom: “Do you want to eat?”
Boo: “Yes.”
Mom: “If you want to eat, why shouldn’t you help?” “I could really use your help. You can pick the music.”
Boo: Speechless.

We put on some music and began cooking. Actually, he did 90% of the work. Not only did he do the work, he cleaned his plate (twice). When my sister complimented “us” on the meal, he (munching on his second helping) said, “Thanks. I made them.” The confident look on his face was priceless. He is now responsible for helping with dinner twice a week. He also frequently offers me recipe ideas for my kids cooking classes and cooking club; and good ones I might add.

We are all busy, but bit of planning and a little patience is all that is required to get your kids cooking. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Pick a day that you know you’ll have the time and patience to cook with your kids like Friday night dinner or Sunday morning breakfast
• Make the experience, not the meal the focal point. If necessary, have a snack before you start so you’re not cooking hungry thus increasing your stress and frustration levels.
• Ask your kids what they want to make or give them a choice between two meals you know they like
• Take them shopping with you; but not at the 5 p.m. rush hour. Rather go in the late evening the night before.
• Read the recipe in advance and have specific tasks for them to do (like tearing lettuce, grating cheese, measuring dry ingredients, etc.) that they can do without micromanagement; and let them do it.
• Have fun and be sure to compliment them on their creations!

LOL so true,

You know that children ARE more ikely to eat food if they have had a hand in making it. I allow my children to butter their own bread at lunch time - just put a blob on a little plate and give them plastic knives let them get on with it.

Last week we made home made pizzas, I divided the dough onto two dishes and divided all the ingredients and let Hollie and Ellis just pile it all on .... there were 6 empty plates that night

Of course with my children being toddlers their input is limited, but just sitting at the work area while I am cooking is enough for them to 'claim' that the meal is their own work when daddy comes in.

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