Banana “Ice Cream”, Orange Bean Dip and Rainbow Sandwiches - Oh My!

So you ask your kid: “Want to help me make chocolate chip cookies?”

"YES!!!!!!"

What kid doesn’t say yes to this question? It was one of my favorite things to do with my mom growing up. Sure, I loved the end result – and, let’s face it, licking the batter, salmonella be damned – but I also remember the cracking, the stirring, the measuring, the pouring. Some might assume this to be a little revisionist history, but I remember loving the helping part of the process almost as much as the eating the cookie part.

Think beyond chocolate chip cookies!

Put a toy kitchen in front of a toddler and they’ll go to town, asking anyone who’ll play to taste their imaginary pancakes, hot dogs and ice cream. So why not involve them in the real thing? With food that’s actually good for them? The benefits are huge:

1.     It’s quality time spent with your kids when they’d likely otherwise be off playing on their own (or, let’s face it, watching TV.)

2.     You’ll boost their confidence by giving them an important job with a tangible, fulfilling result: deliciously healthy food!

3.     You can use it as a way to teach math (I need one and a half cups of x, so how many ½ cup scoops do we need?) and reading (the recipe!)

4.     They will be more apt to eat the finished product if they’ve been part of making it: fewer dinner table struggles!

5.     You’ll be cultivating an ever-lasting healthy relationship between your child and food – a simple and fun way to help prevent all sorts of future health issues like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

You game?

I know (from experience, believe me) that cooking with kids is messier. It takes longer. And depending on how old they are, you can’t just leave the knife on the counter while you wash out the bowl. But the next time you’re about to say “Out of the kitchen! All of you!” think back to all the wonderful benefits. And check out Chop Chop, a fanstastic magazine whose stated mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook real food with their families, for thoughts and ideas on how to get started.

And then rather than making imaginary pancakes and hot dogs, you’re little ones can help serve real one-ingredient banana ice cream, orange bean dip and rainbow sandwiches (see left)! Yummy!