We love feeding our babies. But once they get bigger and become toddlers, preschoolers and primary school kids, they need to learn how to fend for themselves in the kitchen. You can always start with fun and easy recipes.
Why? Because being woken up at the crack of dawn on Sunday mornings and public holidays to fix the kid’s breakfast gets old real quick. You can avoid this by teaching them how to make essential meals with easy recipes so they don’t die of hunger while you are holed up in your room doing a Netflix binge on the Nanny’s off day.
Pick relaxing times such as weekends or school holidays to teach them step by step. Before you know it, your child could have the skills to rival MasterChef Junior champions.
Here are 4 easy recipes to start off with your young one:
Eggs: Scrambled, fried or the classic omelette. Eggs are practical because they are inexpensive, filling, nutritious and have a long shelf-life. Start by having your toddler beat an egg in a bowl, and as she grows older she can crack it into the bowl, then beat it and when she is able to reach the pan, she can pour in the beaten egg mixture. Turn the egg with her and after several supervised attempts, she will be making the perfect omelette, fried or scrambled eggs.
Try this easy recipe for scrambled eggs: Beat 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 1 pinch of (sea) salt in a bowl. Put 2 tablespoons of Avena cooking oil on a cast iron or non-stick pan. Once it is hot, pour the egg mixture. Turn the heat down and stir using a wooden spoon until they are light brown and fluffy.
Sausages: Most kids love sausages. They are easy finger food for them, and they tend to be high in protein. If you prefer healthier sausages, you can purchase the ones your butcher makes in the deli section – these ones are 100% meat and do not contain nitrates, MSG or gluten, as some packaged brands do. Teach your young child to lay out the sausage (or chipolata) links on a baking sheet with a drizzle of Avena cooking oil. Supervise them while they put it in the oven and turn on the grill setting. Show them how to set the timer for at least 10 minutes and help them turn them once each side is cooked. If you don’t have a grill, you will need to give your child even closer supervision as they fry the sausages. Don’t worry – soon they will be teenagers and you won’t need to be there.
Try this recipe: Add 4 tablespoons of Avena cooking oil in a non-stick pan, have your child gently place four sausages in the pan. As they wash their hands, turn on the fire and fry on medium heat. Keep turning as the sausages turn brown. Test with a metal fork whether its cooked on the inside.
Sweet Potato Wedges: A great weaning food, sweet potatoes make great snacks for bigger children and adults. It is a good idea to have them pre-boiled the night before and keep them in a container in a fridge. Your child can then wake up and slice them into wedges using a blunt knife or butter knife. Try this recipe: Put 2 tablespoons of Avena cooking oil in a pan. Have your child arrange the potato wedges in the pan and cook over medium to low heat. Serve with a drizzle of ketchup or your preferred homemade dip.
These are just some of the few easy recipes to get your child interested and comfortable with cooking from an early age. Apart from safety with heat and knives, a fun and important skill to master once they are done cooking is cleaning up. Remember to ask them to clear their plates from the table and wipe the counters. It is all part of teaching them life skills and independence.
Here’s to sleeping in on Sunday mornings!
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