Healthy Hands in the Kitchen

While working on this week's SERVING up a SMILE: Shall We Shop? I took two kids grocery shopping (no school due to snow). We used the label-scrutinizing piece as a sort of home schooling and the girls were instructed to look for snacks that had five ingredients or less.

Our oldest daughter asked how many ingredients went into homemade applesauce and a bag of apples was promptly put into the cart. While explaining that it could be made with apples alone, we did put a pinch of turbinado sugar and some cinnamon in these. At the end we threw in some orange zest for good measure (orange zest goes in, well, everything!).

"What should I do with the skins?"  Not a point to ponder with a little sister on the cleanup committee.  Later we may live to question whether or not the three year old digestive system can handle the skins from four apples.

Snack preparation also promotes teamwork because the faster we get it done, the faster we can eat!

Ready for the stovetop.  We did add about 1/4 cup of water to this as the apples were a little dry. 

How is it girls?   I think they liked it :-)

Much More Than Busy Work

I had the opportunity to purchase a new-in-box Easy Bake oven today for $7.00. It was a holiday overstock sale and considering they seem to run around $30 (and up) it was really tempting to pass up. I always loved my Pepto-pink child size oven.

Something kept me from doing it. It wasn't even the fact that we have more than enough toys or that I have this cranky chip on my shoulder over all things made in China being intentionally designed to fall apart. I think what really swayed me was the idea that it was my girls who had wanted to begin their own blog.

On New Years Eve, as they busily rolled their coctail weenies in dough, I began to snap some pics. My oldest remarked, "Cool, this can go on our blog."

It also comforts me that these girls are learning real life skills (and having a blast while doing it). I have my mother to thank for my love of all things food. Hopefully I am making mama proud to be passing this along to them.

Hard at work.

Careful placement.

Keeping a close watch.

Front row seats.

Discussing finished product.

Hard at Work

As mentioned in the Sugared Dates post, stuffing and rolling dates in sugar is a great busy-kids-in-the-kitchen activity.  

A benefit to allowing the kids to play an active part in food preparation is that their natural curiosity  and sense of accomplishment collide and they will often try things that they otherwise would have turned their noses up at.

The great thing about a treat such as these dates, is that even though there in sugar (about 1/4 tsp per date, by my measurements), there is some great qualities to these such as heart-healthy raw walnuts and 1 gram of dietary fiber per date.  Dried fruit can also aid in digestion (or the passing of food) keeping little intestines running smoothly. 

Of course, to me, the best part is that my children are taking part in a family tradition and learning to love a holiday treat that I looked forward to as a child. ~