Recipe for Success

I love spending time in the kitchen with my kids. It's a place where we can talk about what's been happening with their day and we can create something together. I've also found that my picky eater is more willing to try – and ultimately enjoy – new foods or ones that he normally wouldn't like.


Besides enjoying their companionship and giving us some good one-on-one time (I sometimes have both kids in the kitchen, other times it's just one), it's a great learning experience. Both of my kids are great readers, but even before they could read words, they could look at the visual instructions on a cake mix which would show a picture of two eggs, a cooking oil bottle and a measuring cup with water.


It All Adds Up
I often double recipes and freeze a full batch for the future. This becomes a lesson in math and fractions as we modify the ingredient quantities to fit our needs. We also talk about how chemistry plays a role in baking as the properties of various ingredients interact to produce the desired outcome (cake or cookies that rise rather than resulting in snacks that resemble hockey pucks). 

Nutrition is also at the forefront of our planning. I typically plan meals one week at a time based on our upcoming schedule and what the kids will be having for lunch at school. Because it's easy to get in a rut, I often let the children plan the meals. They know that each meal needs protein, fruit, vegetables and – because we're carb lovers – bread, pasta or potatoes. We are not a family that diets or lives by super-strict food rules, nor are we a family that thrives on junk food. We simply try to maintain moderation in all things, knowing that eating healthy food fuels our body, while a few treats are okay as part of our overall intake. We hope this moderate approach to eating spills over into other aspects of their lives.


Changing Roles
A few months ago, my daughter (who was 10 at the time) said, "Thanks for letting us cook with you, Mom. I know it takes longer when we do it together." She's right. When kids are first learning to cook, it does take more effort as you work through every single step with them. My response to her was, "You're right. It does take longer and you're very mature to notice that. But you know what? Even though there are some times when I need to get dinner ready quickly, all the other nights I enjoy the extra time – I love spending time with you and your brother."


Fast forward just a few months and things have already changed so much. This week I realized that I was providing minimal coaching and we were working as a well-oiled team with each of us putting together a different part of the meal. In a way, it made me sad to know that they're growing up so fast. But in another way, I was so very proud of the independence and capability they displayed as they each make significant contributions to getting family dinner on the table.


Recipe for a Happy Home
Quite often, my favorite recipes come from those church or community cookbooks where people share their family's recipes. Here's the introduction to one such cookbook:
A Happy Home Recipe
4 cups of love
2 cups of loyalty
3 cups of forgiveness
1 cup of friendship
5 spoons of hope
2 spoons of tenderness
4 quarts of faith
1 barrel of laughter
Take love and loyalty, mix it thoroughly with faith. Blend it with tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add friendship and hope; sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve daily with generous helpings.


Happy cooking to you and your family!