I never thought I would end up with a picky eater. Unfortunately, my 4 year old takes one look at my dinners and proclaims, “I don’t like that!”. He has quickly learned that I am not a short order cook and he will be eating what the rest of us are having. Over the past year I’ve learned how to get him to eat things he normally wouldn’t.
Even though the Holidays are already hectic, I plan on allowing my son to help out as much as possible in the kitchen. If he helps out with the preparation, he is so proud and eats everything – even carrots. I like to give him different options so that he believes everything was his idea. After we’ve decided on what we’re having, its on to the fun stuff.
There are many tasks that even the smallest cook can help with. Even my 2 year-old can hold the measuring cup as I pour ingredients in. They fight over who gets to stir and everyone wants to lick the spoon when we’re done. If I’m doing something technical such as decorating cookies, cakes, or cupcakes, I give them their own special batch to make however they see fit. This keeps them occupied while I make my “pretty” creations, and they get to show off their work to daddy and other family members.
There is nothing better than seeing your child so extremely proud of what you helped them make. An added bonus is having them actually eat the dinner because they had a hand in creating it. Bringing my kids into the kitchen means larger messes, but the memories made are priceless.