[lead]Collecting healthy recipes and buying fresh ingredients is a great first step in creating a healthy lifestyle but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t actually find the time to cook a healthy meal. [/lead]
As a mom of 2 little ones, I can relate with the on-going saga of trying to find the time to cook amidst the chaos of real life. When my husband isn’t traveling it’s much easier because he plays with the kids or takes them on a bike ride while I make dinner. But when he’s on the road, I have to juggle making dinner while someone is begging to be held, another needs water, someone has to go pee, the dog is barking, the doorbell is ringing, etc.
Below are a few tips designed to help carve out a little time for cooking when you have little kids….
[lead]1. Let Them Help You Cook[/lead]
My daughter loves helping me “cook” in the kitchen. I either have her sit on the counter or stand on a step-stool and actually give her something to make. She can rip apart lettuce for a salad, stir a sauce, snap green beans in half, etc.
Getting them involved not only keeps them busy while you are cooking, but it’s a great way to get them interested in new foods (more on that later this week).
[lead]2.Get Them Their Own Kitchen Tools[/lead]
Kids love stuff, there is no doubt about that. Let them play the part during mealtime with their own apron, spoons, spatulas, etc.
There are some great kid knifes on the market. They are great because they are made of nylon, have blunt edges and keeps the kids entertained while they actually “cut” fruits or vegetables.
My daughter has these cute Kizmo Head Chefs cooking spoons (thanks grandma) and I only let her use them when she’s helping me cook, so they become a special tool to use in the kitchen only.
[lead]3. Box of Distractions[/lead]My son is too small to help cook, so I created a kitchen distraction box that I pull out while I’m trying to make a meal. It’s just a box full of kitchen related “toys” that keeps him busy for a little bit. The box includes a pot, wooden spoon, dish towel, egg timer (anything that makes noise is an instant hit with my son), etc.
I rotate the items in the box so that it’s always something new for him to play with because let’s face it, kids get bored faster than the speed of light.
[lead]4. Access to a Cabinet[/lead]
I’m not sure if it’s the lure of being forbidden or discovering what’s behind the door, but kids love cabinets. More specially, kids love opening and closing cabinet doors and pulling everything out. Instead of trying to cook and still tell the kids for the hundredth time to close the cabinet, I made them one of their own.
I picked a cabinet in the kitchen (one that isn’t near the stove or in the way of a prep area) and made it kid friendly. I filled it with tupperware, pot holders, plastic plates, and rubber spatulas. My son gets distracted by pulling out everything in that specific cabinet long enough for me to get the chicken in the oven.
I’d love to hear any other tricks you’ve used to keep kids entertained during cooking!
