Shoo-ing kids out of the kitchen while trying to cook comes naturally to me and probably most moms out there. However, if you have the time and energy, including them in the cooking process is so fun and incredibly rewarding! A few weeks back, I came across a recipe by BBCgoodfood that split up the tasks into 2 categories: grown ups & children based on what tasks are perfect for little hands. Seeing this recipe with the tasks laid out inspired me so much that I have now made it a point to cook at least 1 meal per week not just for the kiddos, but with them. Not only is the entire experience a blast (seeing their focus and excitement warms my heart), it allows me to spend more quality time with them and teach them about food, nutrition, and cooking. Since joining me in the kitchen, their curiosity about food has skyrocketed and I’ve noticed that when they help, they’re a lot more likely to finish their servings! It’s messier, but it’s also a lot more fun. Spaghetti and meatballs is a great place to start. I took BBC’s advice and delegated the tasks as follows:
1. Have the kids squeeze the sausage meat out of the skins into a large bowl. Add all of the additional meatball ingredients into the bowl and then have them mush everything together.
2. Once the meatball mix is ready, have the kiddos roll it into walnut sized balls. Not only is this just a fun way to get them involved but could also be a great way to incorporate some math in the kitchen!
Go to their site for the full list of tips on how to separate up the rolls of adults & children for this recipe: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2451637/cooking-with-kids-spaghetti-and-meatballs-with-hid
