Kids in the Kitchen

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

by on April 9, 2015   •   10 Comments Kids in the Kitchen

Kitchen Tasks for Kids Ages 6 to 8

So you’ve survived cooking with pre-schoolers. Congratulations! I have good news for you: the next stage is really, really fun.

From rolling meatballs to chopping apples, watching the Yorkshire pudding rise or turning fruit into sauce, the kitchen is now a science lab, the heart of the home, and the best restaurant in town.

Around age six and continuing through seven, children graduate from play cooking to serious cooking and they are eager to make a good impression. They can plan a simple menu and pull together an entire meal, if given the chance. Now, more than ever, it’s important to give them space to be creative. Guide them, give instructions, but don’t hover. And heap on the praise.

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by on April 2, 2015   •   42 Comments Kids in the Kitchen

Kitchen Tasks for Kids Ages 3-5

The subject of children’s kitchen tasks came up quite a bit during my recent round of interviews for cookbook promo, which got me thinking.

Over the years (we’ve had five good ones here) I’ve never really shared a guide to kid’s cooking skills by age. I’ve got children of my own in three distinct categories, so note-taking on this subject is easy. Noah, Mateo and Clara remind me daily of what they are capable of and are always surprising me with new accomplishments.

So this is the first post in a little blog series covering kitchen tasks for kids. We’ll look at ages 3-5, ages 6-8 and ages 9-11. After that they will be off and away on their own! Or at least that is the plan.

It’s important to remember that skills vary greatly at this age (and every age, really) so take this list with a grain of salt. Don’t worry if your pre-schooler isn’t making sandwiches or peeling eggs just yet.

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by on March 27, 2015   •   15 Comments Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen: Canning Applesauce {video}

What happens when you let three young siblings loose in the kitchen to collaborate on a winter canning project? A boatload of cuteness, a few laughs and delicious applesauce for all.

Today I’ve got a sweet video to share with you; a rare live glimpse into my kitchen and the three little monkeys that share it with me. It’s ever so fun and maybe, just maybe, demonstrates that kids can indeed help with putting up foods.

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by on January 19, 2015   •   16 Comments Nourishment

Simple, natural kitchen cures for a cold

It felt like I was beating off a cold for the better portion of the holidays. You know that feeling when you wake up and go ‘Uh Oh’ because your throat feels dry and your head aches slightly. Yeah, not fun.

Because I was party planning and had house guests, I didn’t want to get laid up for a minute. It was time for some cold-curing home remedies.

Back in October, when I was yet again battling the onset of a cold, I asked my friends on Instagram what they do to kill a cold. Of course their response was swift and ever so smart. I saved their tips for my own reference, but I can’t keep them all to myself.

Should you be as unfortunate as to find yourself similarly sick, my hope is that you can turn to your kitchen for a natural cure using one or two of these suggestions.

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by on January 5, 2015   •   42 Comments Nourishment

11 healthy family food habits to embrace in 2015

This list originally started as a few notes scratched in a notebook I keep in my bedside table. Reminders. Little practices that I occasionally forget about, yet want to continue because I know they have a long-lasting positive impact on my family.

It wasn’t until a few days later, standing at the sink up to my elbows in dishes and spacing out the window at the falling snow, when I realized that you might want a similar nudge. The new year is a popular reset time for many reasons, and while I am not going on a diet or pledging any massive goals, I am taking a look at how I can improve our family food culture and strengthen healthy food habits.

I think that you are all doing a bang-up job around the family table, but perhaps in reading, you will find there are one or two practices you could adopt.

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