Just as we're finally getting used to quarantine life, a new school year is upon us, which for any of us who are parents, teachers, students or in any way associated with anyone who is, will undoubtedly upend any sort of routine we've established over the past few months. Usually, as a new school year begins, parents everywhere breathe a sigh of relief, as their beloved children once again head back into classrooms, into the hands of capable teachers - but not this year. Everything from back to school shopping (do we really need to do any?), when/where/how kids will learn (anyone else in the midst of buying and putting together new desks for home learning?), to how and where our children get their lunches (oh no, we haven't even begun to think about that yet!), will look quite different this year. If you're feeling uneasy about all of this uncertainty, you are definitely not alone...but we are here to support you!

 

The Nutrition Energy team of Dietitians have put our heads together to help you save time and reduce stress surrounding food choices and feeding yourself and your families as school resumes and beyond. Over the next few newsletters, we'll help you figure out how to get your children involved in the kitchen (in a truly helpful and even educational way), and share our best tips on how including your family members in food shopping, prep and cooking will actually reduce stress around feeling both you and your family well, and encourage them to try new foods.

 

On top of quarantining and social distancing, you may also feel pressure to feed your kids (and/or yourself), "perfectly". Well, we're here to say that there is no such thing as a perfect meal AND even if there was, not every meal needs to be perfect. Despite our best intentions, at the end of a busy day, many of us are just too tired to go to great lengths to get a full and balanced meal, complete with fruits and vegetables, into our children. This can be especially true for families in which you need to engage in negotiation, hiding produce in other foods, or some other creative methodology to get your family to eat their dinner. It is perfectly okay to "downgrade" your expectations. If you're helping your kids to eat and enjoy ANY fruits and vegetables throughout the day and week, and you're keeping yourself and your children safe and sane, you're doing a great job!

 

While buying and preparing food can seem like a monotonous task to be finished as quickly as possible, and the thought of slowing down and involving children in the process seems counter-intuitive, there are many lifelong benefits to pausing for teaching moments. Even the smallest children can learn from observing your behavior and helping in the kitchen, while older children can learn to perform more highly skilled tasks that will actually cut down your prep time. If you're at home with children, we urge you to use this opportunity not only to bond with your child, but also to teach them valuable health lessons. There are plenty of ways to incorporate play and learning when it comes to food shopping and preparation that will help your child develop the skills, knowledge and behaviors necessary to eat well.

 

Below are some grade appropriate ideas to try. *Note: We have divided them into rough grade categories, but of course, you know your child best, and should choose and adapt these ideas based on your comfort and your child's interests and developmental stage.

 

 

Bring out their inner Picasso! Have your child draw a rainbow with crayon or markers and then have them search (in picture books, magazines or online with your help), for a corresponding fruits and vegetables of the same color that they would like to try. Next time you shop, you and your child can select some of the fruits and vegetables they drew and want to eat.

Keep them entertained! While unpacking groceries, have your child sort the produce by category; fruits vs vegetables, color, size, etc. Including them keeps them out of trouble and peaks their interest in helping further.

Put your kids to work! Kids love to wash fresh fruits and vegetables and arrange them in a bowl. This fun activity works well with fruits including grapes, berries, or larger fruits you've pre-slices or veggies such as carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes. You save time and they can feel proud of themselves.

Play with fruits and veggies! Engage your child(ren) in exploring each fruit or vegetable you take out while preparing a meal, and ask them to use all five senses. Can they describe how each fruit or vegetable feels (smooth or rough?), smells, tastes, looks (color, texture), etc. Discuss the different ways each one can be prepared and how it changes after preparation (ie. a potato is hard and becomes soft when you boil it).

 

 

Sneak in a math lesson! For children who claim they hate math, sneak in some math by asking them to double or halve recipes. This works great for pancakes, cookies, and muffins-anything they are excited to make and eat.

Bonus: let children choose whether they want bananas or blueberries in the batter and sneak in an extra serving of fruit.

Feeling adventurous? Try carrots or zucchini to sneak in extra veggies!

Slice and dice! With supervision as appropriate for your child, have them help you with slicing and chopping. Start with easier items (slicing a banana with a butter knife), and move up to dicing, julienne, mincing as they are ready.

Executive Function Training! Together, select simple recipes made with real, whole ingredients, for your child(ren) to read through, gather, measure, and follow instructions step by step. Simple recipes include smoothies, hummus, guacamole, tuna salad, vegetable quesadilla, omelettes, or sandwiches/rollups with their fillings of choice. These recipes include minimal use of kitchen tools and are easy enough for them to quickly advance to making on their own.

 

Try a family meal challenge! Have your child select one meal per week that they are responsible for entirely. You support them, but they are in charge. This is a great exercise that will help your child develop their research, critical thinking, and problem solving skills-and possibly take the pressure off you for one night each week. As appropriate they can take on:

Researching recipes online or in books/magazines

Paying close attention to writing all ingredients for the shopping list

Tracking prices and determining cost of ingredients for the meal

Finding substitutions for ingredients you don't have in your pantry (or forgot to add to the shopping list!)

*Bonus: Teach your child about the concept of balanced meals that include vegetables, carbohydrates, fats and protein!

**Again, one fav is taco night. This popular and relatively easy meal involves cooking meat (or beans or tofu crumble), and making rice, plus adding (?heating) tortillas, and toppings, such as shredded cabbage or lettuce, diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained canned beans, and guac or cheese.

 

As your child embraces being in the kitchen you can provide them with more responsibilities! While all these tasks may take longer to begin with, your time is not wasted. Your children will gain confidence, and a sense of independence, and pride as well as skills that will help them become better eaters for life.