Dinner with toddlers

[heatherbee]

Random idea and I wanted to see if anyone is interested in trying this. Maybe we could do a weekly post if people are interested.

DS is really interested in helping me cook lately. I feel like I always spend so much time making dinner and stuff on work nights and less time with him than I want, that im trying to incorporate one meal a week that DS is in "charge" of making. Last night, he made mini pizzas and was so proud and excited to make it.

Would anyone else be interested in trying to incorporate this to? We could share ideas that were easy enough for kids to help with. I really don't want to make pizzas every week and could use some inspiration from others

[jennmm]

My son loves to help me cook. His favorite is making quesadilllas since it's basically putting the ingredients on the tortillas. Same concept as pizza.

[bliz1712]

I have V help me whenever she wants to. Lately she hasn't been as interested but for awhile there she was making supper for us 1x a week. Granted she's 11, but what she made could easily be made by our toddlers. It was just pizza crescent rolls. Using the crescent rolls lay them out. Cut a string cheese in half and put one half onto the crescent roll. Then add your meat choice, hamburger, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, etc. Roll up and bake according to the insturctions. Dip in pizza sauce if you want, we don't.

[nesenotes]

I actually let her help me make breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner. It doesn't get her to eat much more but it is a good distraction so she leaves the baby alone.

[trixi282]

I think that's a great idea. Lately J has shown a lot of interest in wanting to do dishes. Fine by me kid!

She actually wanted to do a whole sink full, so I helped her wash and MIL rinsed them when she was done. It did get water all over, but she loved it.

She always wants to stir, or pour things. I try to let her help with regular dinner/lunch when I can, I just have to be very patient!

[aylafsu1881]

We have done cookies a couple of times. I make the dough and then she cuts out the shapes. The we decorate them. It is fun but takes a while. I like the idea of having her help me cook. I think I amgoing to try bliz1712 suggestions with the crescent rolls. Those seem easy and fun.

[bantyrooster]

He does cookies, stirring, dumping things in. Pizza.

[gk12]

I let Mirabelle help me with making roasted potatoes. I got them wet and she cleaned them with the potato brush. After I cut them she put the wedges in a bowl. She helped me stir them after we put olive oil and spices on. Most nights DH cooks and he's great with letting her stir and do random parts of a meal.

[xanthepants]

We let coco help probably once or twice a week. I don't really get to cook at night since my commute is so late. On weekends I have her help with pancakes or cupcakes. Good idea. I have a couple of toddler cookbooks I can dust off too.

[mrsdonati]

Sounds like a good idea. Elena usually stirs, dumps things in, and helps make cookies. She loves to help and usually pushes a chair up to the counter when she sees me in the kitchen.

[Riverdong11]

Liam loves to dump things in a bowl and stir so helps me a lot with baking. He also loves making Calzones with us. He's so proud when he puts on the sauce and toppings.

[okiemama]

Sounds fun! Ty loves to bake with me but cooking is a lot more difficult- less dumping and stirring and more knives and flames. I would like purposely making a few "helper-friendly" meals

[paddyb]

Henry helps most nights. He LOVES to sprinkle the salt and pepper on meat or whatever needs to be seasoned. He also helps put the chopped veggies into the salad bowl.

[babywinks]

Abby has helped me with everything from measuring ingredients for brownies and cake to making meatballs. A few days ago she helped make cheese biscuits by mixing and helping drop them on the cookie sheet. I am all for getting more dinner ideas where she can help!

[heatherbee]

Those are all some really awesome ideas! I'll try my best to remember and post a check in 1-2 times a month where we can share some toddler helping friendly recipes. If I forget and someone else remembers, feel free to post it.

Cookies, muffins and banana bread are some of DS's favorites to bake. We have also been making no/bake energy bites to have as snacks in the fridge. Next week, we are going to do a breakfast for dinner night and I'll make some whole wheat french toast and he is going to "make" a green smoothie to go with it. He loves turning the blender on and off!


Side note: yesterday morning I told him he was in charge of dinner and showed him the recipe. He spent the whole day bringing the English muffins to me and asking if it was time to make dinner. Adorable

[pinkluna]

Good idea! Though I'd probably only try on weekends when we have more time. I just saw this recipe earlier that I wanted to try but it's for a snack:

healthfestblog.co/paleo-banana-chocolate-chip-mini-muffins/

[heatherbee]

Jan 23, 2015 18:14:21 GMT -5 pinkluna said:

Good idea! Though I'd probably only try on weekends when we have more time. I just saw this recipe earlier that I wanted to try but it's for a snack:

healthfestblog.co/paleo-banana-chocolate-chip-mini-muffins/

Those look really good! We make mini muffins a lot because I freeze them and send to daycare for breakfast.

[huskiefanuw]

Great idea, so far she only mixes and pours things in.

[stegasaurus]

Great idea. I've been wanting to get both kids more involved with cooking.

[junkytrunk]

I'm so scared to let him cook with me because everytime I let him pour something into a bowl, only half of it makes it into the bowl! You all are brave!

[roo1582]

I would love for her to help me, but a lot of time she shows no interest Sometimes she will help stir something or dump ingredients into the mixer. I would love to try to find things she might be more interested in helping me with.

[trixi282]

Jan 24, 2015 12:38:00 GMT -5 junkytrunk said:

I'm so scared to let him cook with me because everytime I let him pour something into a bowl, only half of it makes it into the bowl! You all are brave!

It took me awhile, because when it comes to cooking/baking I'm clearly more anal than I thought.... It helped to ask her to "help me" do something then I could hold it took and guide her over the bowl.  She of course has moments where she's way to independent and wants to do it 100% on her own, and then I'll try to give her small things to pour... or liquids that are in the big measuring cup and not easily spilled if she doesn't keep it level.

She helped me mix eggs for scrambled eggs this weekend, I just made sure to grab a bowl bigger than what I normally would so it wouldn't splash everywhere.

I still have moments when I want to just take over and do it myself, but she enjoys it so much!