Join the Conversation: What Are We Feeding the Kids?
Sharing the challenges and joys of the present with the hope of doing it better in the future
As a follow-up to Kate’s piece (and Holden’s birthday, during which, let’s hope, he ate lots of cake), today’s discussion, open to all subscribers, centers around feeding kids: What are you struggling with? What are your pandemic-era (or general) wins, etc.? Where do you turn for inspiration? Are you part of a cooking-for-kids online community that has worked for you? And how have their tastes grown up as they've gotten older?
As always, to join the conversation, type a comment below.
I teach kids cooking classes in person and on Zoom during the past year. Our organization, Kids Cooking for Life, teaches Title 1 schools and other underserved children and we provide meal kits for the classes so that the kids make enough to feed four people, so the whole family gets a nutritious meal. They love to make just about anything and enthusiastically devour what they cook. We have a 90% thumbs up rating. We follow recipes but we also talk about what else we could do, what other ingredients might work and what condiments we might include. We’re playing with flavors and smells, textures and color and bonus, it’s all edible! They’re learning how to make sauces and salad dressing so they don’t have to buy them. We introduce ingredients that they might not be familiar with like asparagus or artichokes. We talk fresh, whole grain, lean protein and healthy choices vs processed, added sugar and packaged food. They know how to smash, peel and mince garlic with the side of a knife, julienne a pepper and dice a potato. And you can tell they're really proud of each dish. Last night I taught soba stir fry. It was a delicious rainbow in a bowl. My own kids starting helping me in the kitchen when they were old enough to hold a wooden spoon. All three (twin boys and little sister) would stand on a wooden bench shoved up against the kitchen island and we would chop, slop, blend, mix and invent meals together. We made personal soufflés in ramekins in the microwave. They learned knife skills with sharp knives. We made our own pasta. They showed me they were capable and we built on that foundation. Now in their mid 30’s, they each have unique personal style and culinary acumen. It’s the most pleasurable activity to cook with kids because the benefits last a lifetime.
My son is now 25, but on the first Thanksgiving after my divorce, he was 10. I asked him, “What do you want to eat for Thanksgiving, since we all dislike turkey?” He didn’t hesitate for a beat: “Lobster”. And thus a tradition was born!