Cooking with Kids

By the end of this lesson you will:

• Identify important nutrient sources in your child's diet.
• Recognize appropriate table management tactics at the dinner table.
• List three ways to eat healthy at the dinner table.

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Activity 1:

List some recipes you can make with your children:

Child Nutrition:

• Food nourishes at every age and stage in a child's life: infancy, the toddler and preschool years, school-age years, and adolescence.  Through carefully-made food choices, parents and caregivers help ensure the physical nourishments of growing bodies.  However, children's experiences with food nourish even more -the social, emotional, and psychological aspects of their lives.

• No matter what their age, youngsters need the same nutrients as adults.  Only the amounts change.  Like you, they need energy from food - but more relative to their body weight.  They enjoy many of the same foods you like, but the form and combinations may differ.

• The challenge for parents and caregivers is to recognize and respect the differences, to make foods available that are appropriate for children, and to set the time and place for eating.  Children need to learn how to make food choices and decide how much food they need to consume.

Good Nutrition Can Be Achieved By Eating A Wide Variety of Foods
Offer your child a variety of foods from the basic food groups:

•Different nutrients are needed for different functions in the body. Protein is needed for growth. Most of the protein in the diet is supplied by milk, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese and dry beans and peas. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. Dietary calcium is primarily found in milk and milk products such as cheese, yogurt and to a lesser extent in leafy green vegetables. Iron is an important mineral that helps build healthy red blood cells.  Iron comes from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables and iron-fortified breads and cereals. Iron from cereal will be absorbed better when served with a food rich in vitamin C.  Citrus fruits, their juices and dark green or yellow vegetables are good sources of vitamin C and vitamin A.

•Water is needed to regulate body functions in young children. As a percentage of body weight, children have more water in their bodies than adults. Children can become dehydrated more quickly than adults. Offer water to your young child several times during the day.

•Fat is a necessary nutrient in a child's diet. It helps to provide extra calories and needed nutrients for active and growing children. No fat restriction should be applied to children below the age of 2 because their fast growth requires a high percentage of calories from fat.  You can help your child (2 and older) develop beneficial low-fat dietary habits by offering items such as reduced fat milk, non-fat yogurt and lean meats.

•Sugary foods provide few nutrients and should be limited. Chewy, sticky, sugary foods may promote tooth decay if left on the teeth. Children should be taught to properly brush their teeth daily to help reduce tooth decay.

•Children are like sponges, absorbing all the sights, sounds, and tastes of the world around them.  Children in these early years truly are impressionable.  This is a great time to help children form positive attitudes toward food and to develop sound eating habits!  Letting your child help with snacks and meals will increase their interest in eating healthy.

Toddlers and preschoolers live to play! 

Encourage that same sense of fun and adventure at mealtime! Get your kids involved!  Even finicky eaters will more likely eat foods they help make.  Small children can even help out.

Some tips on getting started:

• Let your children know some common guidelines in the kitchen.  Remind them to wash their hands thoroughly.  Sing the alphabet song with them as they scrub their little fingers.  Encourage your children to ask for help when necessary.  You may not want children to do a task they cannot accomplish successfully.

• Stock your kitchen with child-size dishes and utensils your children can use with ease: cups they can get their hands around; broad, straight, short-handed utensils; spoons with wide mouth; forks with blunt tines; and plates with a curved lip.

Activity 2:

Click here for some great recipes your children can help you prepare.

Activity at home: Give your child a large piece of white butcher paper.  Have them trace their plate, glass, fork, spoon, etc.  Now let them eat their meal on the imaginary place setting.

Table Management:
• All family members should wash and dry hands before eating.
• Children should not be forced to eat what they don't want.
• Children should refuse foods tactfully and politely.
• If a food is not on the table, then it is not available.
• When serving your child's food, make sure the portions are small- she can always ask for seconds.
• The smaller the child, the slower she eats.
• Establish regular meal times.
• Establish times for snacks, too.
• Ban the expressions: "Yuk!" "Do I have to eat this?" Gross!" and "What is this?"
• Adults should not use mealtime to discuss matters that only concern them.
• Make an attempt to have something on the table that you child likes.
• Allow children to select the food they want from the table.
• Make sure that family eating is enjoyable and eagerly anticipated by all.

Healthful Suggestions:
• Trim fats from meats and poultry before cooking.
• The yolk of an egg contains all the fat.  Try using one egg yolk with 2 or more egg whites.
• Replace ground beef wherever possible with lean ground turkey.
• Buy products made naturally: Peanut butter, preserves, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
• Spend some time reading labels and looking for pure foods and all-natural ingredients.
• Whole grain breads, cereals, flours, and baking mixes are important - they have more fiber.
• Avoid using baking powder that contains aluminum.
• Use canned skim milk in sauces, soups, and other recipes that call for cream.
• For good protein sources, try peas, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
• Instead of fruit-flavored yogurts, use plain yogurt and add fresh fruit or natural preserves.
• Ice milk is a good substitution for ice cream.
• To reduce your family's salt intake, choose herbs, spices, garlic, or lemon as alternatives.

Healthful Substitutions:
• 1 teaspoon baking powder equals 1/2 teaspoon each cream of tartar and baking soda.
• 1 square baking chocolate equals 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or 3 tablespoons carob plus 2 tablespoons water.
• 1 cup sugar equals 3/4 cup honey or 1 1/4 cup molasses or 3/4 cup pure maple syrup.
• 1 cup white flour equals 3/4 cup whole wheat flour or 3/4 cup graham flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour.
•1 cup butter equals 1 cup margarine or 7/8 cup vegetable oil.
•1 cup buttermilk equals 1 cup milk plus 1 3/4 tablespoons cream of tartar (or 2 tablespoons white vinegar).
•2 eggs equal 1 egg plus 2 egg whites or 2 tablespoons oil plus 1 tablespoon water.
•1 cup milk equals 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water or 3 tablespoons powdered milk plus 1 cup water.
•1 cup sour cream equals 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and 1 cup evaporated milk or 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup buttermilk.
•1 cup whipped cream equals 1 cup nonfat milk powder whipped with 1 cup ice water or 1 four ounce (125 grams) package non-dairy whipped topping.

Now lets review!

Activity 3:

Which WIC Office do you go to?

Where are you taking today's lesson?
WIC Office Own computer Family Friends Work Library Other

You have completed the lesson on “Cooking with Kids”. 

Answers:

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Revised:  06-13-2008