Summer is a great season for teaching kids in the kitchen. Most kids like to have options, so let them help prepare and clean up meals. Picky eaters will appreciate doing some menu planning.
Use the time to teach kids about nutrition, easy math, and food science. Explain the importance of washing hands, using separate cutting boards for meat and produce, and separating electrical appliances.
You are the one who knows your child best, so offer options based on his abilities.
- Ages 1 to 2: Play with wooden spoons, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons.
- Ages 2 and 3 years: Wash fruits, chop and tear vegetables for salad, rub potatoes, mash vegetables, grease baking dishes, pour ingredients into a bowl and sprinkle with seasonings.
- Ages 4-5: Crack eggs, use whisk, measure dry ingredients, use a plastic knife to chop soft foods, juice acidic foods, set timer, peel hard-boiled eggs well, and set the counter.
- Ages 6-7: Measure ingredients, use a vegetable peeler, use a paring knife, snap green beans, corn, drain and slice tofu, shape patties, grease baking pans and load the dishwasher.
- Ages 8-9: Use a can opener, beat eggs, grate cheese, roll batter into muffin cups, scrape mixing bowls, slice bread, put food on skewers, use hand mixer, use a meat thermometer, and discard leftovers.
- Ages 10-12: All of the above, plus boil water to make pasta and follow the recipe.
Today’s recipe for Frozen Yogurt Berry Bites is fun for young children. They can stir the ingredients, spoon them into muffin cups, and garnish with berries. Plus, this delicious meal contains healthy Greek yogurt, almonds, and berries. That means calcium for strong bones, protein for body growth, and antioxidants that protect against cancer and heart disease.
Cooking with the kids may take a little longer, but it’s a great investment of time. You will create memories with delicious food.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today’s recipe, email [email protected]
Frozen Yogurt Berry Bites
Make: 6 servings / Preparation time: 20 minutes / total time: 30 minutes (plus freezing time)
A cup of ground almonds or almond meal
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons melted butter
Half a cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
Half a teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup fresh cut strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries (or any combination of berries you prefer)
Line a 6-cup muffin pan with silicone or paper cupcake liners, or use a non-stick muffin pan.
In a small bowl, mix the mashed almonds with 2 tablespoons of sugar and butter. Put a small amount in the bottom of each muffin cup. In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each muffin cup, covering the crust. Top with chopped fresh berries. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. To serve, remove from muffin tin and/or wrapper and leave at room temperature for 8-10 minutes.
From Henry Ford Live Well.
115 Calories (45% fat) 6 g Fat (1.5g fat), 12g carbohydrates4 g protein17 mg sodium10 mg cholesterol19 mg Calcium2.5 grams the basic. Food exchange: 1 ½ fruit, ½ milk, 1 fat.