Kids in the Kitchen

Kids love being in the kitchen - let's let them

by on July 10, 2019   •   12 Comments Picnics

The Best Picnic Foods (BBQ Chicken recipe)

There’s something so nostalgic about spreading a blanket and opening a picnic basket. Perhaps because it signals a pause in the day; an opportunity to both feast and feel the breeze on our faces.

Experience has taught me that nearly any element of a picnic can go awry – but if there is excellent food to pass around, most anything – from wind to bugs – can be all but ignored. Which is why I plan on the best picnic foods I possibly can and then hope the weather cooperates.

Today I’m sharing a round-up of picnic eats from snacks to salads, as well as our new favourite cold picnic chicken recipe. Grab a pen and paper and plan your menu for this weekend. Summer is in full swing and the Great Outdoors is calling.

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by on March 26, 2019   •   7 Comments School lunch

Tried ‘n True Gear for the Zero Waste Lunchbox

A simple guide for packing a zero waste lunch, with tips for reliable gear.

I‘m coming up on a decade of packing school lunches and it’s high time I shared my tried and true gear guide for the zero waste lunchbox.

Good containers for lunches on the go have to be easy to clean and hold up year after year. There are so many options out there and I’ve tried my fair share. I know what breaks and what lasts, what kids enjoy using and what is actually worth the price tag.

At its simplest, packing a lunch requires a few containers, a jar and a tote; at its maximum we’re using everything from beeswax wraps to banana guards.

Hit the jump and keep scrolling because I’m about to show you aaaaaalll our items for a zero waste lunchbox.

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by on July 31, 2018   •   2 Comments Kids in the Kitchen

In the French Kitchen with Kids: Steak Frites

Forget cooking shows and YouTube; kids best learn to cook by getting in the kitchen and doing the actual food prep and cooking.

I feel like I’ve been saying this for years (maybe because I have been saying this for years), as well as stressing the need to teach the younger generation this important life skill.

One person who totally gets this hand-on approach is my friend, Mardi Michels. She’s a food writer and an elementary school teacher, and now she’s written a fantastic cookbook: In the French Kitchen with Kids: Easy, Everyday Dishes for the Whole Family to Make and Enjoy.

It’s a cookbook for children, their parents and, well, people of all ages. I mean, who doesn’t love French food?

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by on February 12, 2018   •   9 Comments School lunch

Double Chocolate and Maple Tahini Puffed Cereal Treats

I‘ve been packing school lunches for eight years and lunchbox treats are one thing I have down to a science, thanks to plenty of practice and a whole lot of honest feedback.

Today I’m sharing two versions of puffed cereal treats that I regularly make with my kids: Double Chocolate and Maple Tahini. They are no-bake, one-bowl, vegan recipes, with just a handful of ingredients, perfect for a kitchen project with little ones.

Yes these are based on the popular Rice Krispy treats, but you find that my version is a little more nourishing. I love to play around with puffed ancient grains such as millet or quinoa, I use natural sweeteners, stir in seed butter for protein, and leave out the marshmallows entirely.

Read on for two new recipes and then stir up a treat for Valentine’s Day with the kids.

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by on July 13, 2017   •   8 Comments Picnics

The best cooler hacks for a picnic at the beach

We’re logging quite a few beach days this summer, as our three children are the ideal age for this outing.

Now that everyone knows how to swim, the beach is actually relaxing, and that is a welcome change after a decade of rescuing kids from the surf. After applying sunscreen to three little people, my main job is feeding them all and that takes some organization – and the right gear.

This summer I’m dishing my best hacks for packing a cooler. On blistering hot July days, it takes some strategic planing to keep everything cold.

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