Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Tasty Tuesday - Kids In The Kitchen, Part 3

Elementary kids typically LOVE to help in the kitchen! And get them involved while you can, because if you wait to include them until they are teenagers, they won't want to help! Since I have done lots of catching up tonight on my blog due to being sick this week, I am mostly just going to post some of the great ideas that my readers have offered!

Wash dishes (my favorite idea for kids because it means I'm not doing them!)

Wash fruits/veggies and store them in containers in the fridge

Mix a "trail mix" of pretzels, nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, etc. and then portion into individual "snack packs" for the week.

Set and clear the dinner table

Wipe down countertops and table

Sweep and mop the floor

Help cook dinner (if they are older)

Make coffee

Load and unload the dishwasher

Water plants

Make sure animals have fresh food and water

Make juice from a frozen can (or Koolaid)

Make jello or pudding

Roll and throw dough balls into pan for monkey bread or other "pieced" food

Ok, I'm starting to wonder what I'm going to write about for the teens. I mean, I was a teen fairly recently, but I certainly don't have any teens in the house and I'm not around them too often, so I'll have to come up with something good. :)

Do any of you have teens?? What are their responsibilities in the kitchen??


Other parts of this series:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 4

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As the mom of two sons, ages 10 and 11, I can tell you that nothing improves their willingness to try something new for dinner than having them help you make it! My boys LOVE to help make dinner, and they are getting pretty good at it. DS11's favorite dish to whip up is Southwest Chicken and DS10's specialty is quiche - they love to check the posted menu plan to see when it's their night to cook.

They have also recently developed an interest in my couponing and bargain shopping - they carefully watch the register when we check out at the grocery store, and if I don't save more than I spend, they are really bummed! As they hit adolescence, I think I will have them help me put together menus and shopping lists based on the sales for a particular week. Good math practice and REALLY good life skills.