Kids in the Kitchen - Link Up #33 - Kitchen skills and nutrition

I'm joining forces each week with my friend Carrie @YoungLivingOilLady to bring you this family friendly recipe link up. No kids required in your pictures - just great recipes to encourage families to spend time in the kitchen cooking and eating together - or tips for teaching kiddos about cooking and nutrition. 

 We strive to bring you healthy recipes with REAL food! 

This Week: 

Taco Night is always a big hit at our house! It is a bit of a cheat when we use shells out of a box - but we also use fresh corn tortillas when we can. The boys get excited about taco night - and it's possible you've seen it here on the blog before! 

When cooking with kids one of the most important things to remember is to find age appropriate jobs that they can do. As they practice these skills - their confidence will grow as will their abilities in the kitchen. 

Little ones can grate cheese, and even slice onions! We use a table knife - I chop it in quarters and then let them take over to chop into small pieces for the tacos or casseroles. 

Be sure to supervise kids closely while they master their kitchen tasks. 

 

Ripping up lettuce and other veggies is a great way for children to participate! We don't have any fun or allow any silliness in the kitchen at all. That would just be silly! Silly. silly. 

Big kids can do bigger work - our 11 year old mans the stove top to stir up taco meat as it browns. We are super careful when handling raw meat in the kitchen. It is also an opportunity to teach the boys about bacteria and food born illness. We clean counters, hands, and any kitchen tools immediately after coming in contact with raw meat and throw wash rags straight into the washer. 

Whether you use fresh corn tortillas, or boxed crunchy tacos - you'll want to choose taco seasoning that is free from MSG and use products with as few ingredients in them as possible. Fresh and organic is best! 

Learning about nutrition - we use our time in the kitchen to talk about what makes a healthy body. We talk about the foods we eat and plan other meals. The more we dialogue about it - the more the boys are becoming interested in finding out more about what is and is not good for them. 

How are you teaching kids to be healthy? 

I'm linking with these fine blogs: Comfy in the Kitchen  Shrinking Kitchen Titus 2 Tues
I heart Naptime Nourishing Treasures  The Better Mom  Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling Food Renegade Try New Recipe   Happy LiL Hearts   Hip Homeschool Hop  Creative Mondays

Grab the button from below or with code on the side bar - or use a text link to link up! 

Please be sure to visit other blogs - pin and share recipes - Find me here on Pinterest  -I've been pinning your recipes to the Kids in the Kitchen board and sharing on facebook and twitter!