Cooking with boys.

During the school holiday's I had the opportunity to do some cooking with the kids and I can say that each of them enjoyed the time spent in the kitchen with mummy. I've never been one of those mother's who has encouraged her children to help out in the kitchen or to even do some baking with her. When Caelan was little, he'd occasionally go visit grandma while mummy would go to various appointments and during this time grandma would allow him to help her in the kitchen. Simple things like wash a piece of fruit, getting a spoon out of the drawer or just watching grandma cut up potatoes. He would love it and talk about it on the drive home.

I remember thinking that this was going to cause me such grief because he was going to want to get into the kitchen and help every night and this would cause dinner to be delayed, him going to bed late and a lot of mess. What I had failed to see was that Caelan's a helper, he enjoys doing things for other people or with other people. Now that he's 7 and we have a much larger kitchen he is often asking me if there is anything that he can do to help.

I've started letting him get his own breakfast in the morning and although he butchers the butter every day he is doing a great job. He has taught himself how to cut open his English muffin, defrost it in the microwave, prepare it with it's topping BUT most importantly he knows about safety. He'll ask his father or me to get the muffin out of the toaster because he knows it can be hot or get stuck and that having one of us do it is the correct thing to do.

So with this maturity I've decided to be more encouraging of him helping me do some baking, to try teaching him the importance of trying new foods and Mr Opoes has even suggested that the two of them make the evening meal occasionally on the weekend.

Healthy Lunch Box Caelan created at the
Queensland University of Technology Healthy Eating Clinic.

Caelan was the first in line to make a fruit smoothie.

Caelan put kiwi fruit, passionfruit, mixed berries, banana,
 and strawberries into his smoothie. Normally he'd only
eat the banana and strawberries. He was so happy to
be having his first ever smoothie at 7.

Caelan's Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.

 

Caelan starts Christmas holidays at the end of the month and with Mackenna going to kindy until the 14th December I'm going to spend some time with him in the kitchen. We might be able to cook up something for the evening meal or maybe create a special evening treat for everyone who eats all their dinner. Either way it will give Caelan and I the perfect opportunity while Viveca and Quinlan are having their morning sleeps to bake some yummy food and for him to master some more skills. Who knows I might even get breakfast in bed on Mother's Day. Can't wait to get into the kitchen with him and see how well he goes.

 

Megan