The Secret to Getting Kids to Eat (While You Stay Sane)

Here’s a secret I’ve learned– and remember, I have an eater so picky she had to be tube fed for over a year, and I almost gave up cooking completely because I couldn’t figure out how to do it with attention-needy kids constantly underfoot–

Since the kids are elbow deep in helping with the meal, they don’t have time to get bored… and as we all know, boredom = disaster.  Plus, they can learn some crazy important skills without even trying– math, following directions, fine motor skills, don’t stick your hands in the garbage disposal– to name a few.  Bragging rights about making dinner also seem to make them actually eat it.

I’m certainly not an expert at this, but here’s a few tips, strategies, and gadgets I’ve learned through trial and error have helped me immensely to get the kids cooking, eating, and ALL of us enjoying mealtime!

1.  Prep as much as you can beforehand.  Get out bowls, pans, measuring spoons, and ingredients.  Preheat the oven if necessary.  Have the recipe ready if using one.  Make sure the knives and anything sharp/ hot/ dangerous are out of the way or on the back burner.  Of course you knew that, I’m just sayin’.

2.  Get in gear!  You already know about the $1 aprons at the Dollar Store, but you can also find some adorable ones on Etsy.  Or, if you are an overachiever, make one yourself!  Obviously we bought ours.

I have no idea where my mother-in-law got the kid’s chef hat Noodle is holding, but it adds that finishing touch to the whole shebang. Sidenote: see the deflated look on her face?  That’s because her friend is leaving, the poor dear.  She hates saying goodbye.  Also my takeaway from that photo?  Apparently I enjoy dressing her like Blythe Danner.

3.  Hand washing is a HUGE part of learning to cook.  Plus it prevents whatever disgusting things are living on their hands from getting on in your food.  Make sure they do it, for everyone’s sake.  Of course, YOUR kids don’t have anything disgusting on their hands.  But I’m pretty sure mine do.

4.  Now that you’re dressed and sanitized, make the meal.  Depending on what we’re cooking, we often go through the recipe together– “Bee, hold the spoon while I pour in some vanilla.  Now dump it in the bowl”– but there’s many tasks I can have them work on independently.  Here’s a few tasks they love and the gadgets that make them extra fun:

• “Paint” oil on pans, butter on rolls, or sauce on a pizza with a silicone brush.  If there’s one tool in the kitchen that’s made my life wonderful it’s the silicone brush!  If you still have an old bristle type, it’s time to treat yourself to a new one.  It’s a cinch to clean and it won’t harm pans because it’s soft.

• Hands down, this is Noodle’s favorite job: set her up with a bowl of water, some potatoes, and a vegetable brush and she’s happy as a clam for at least half an hour– until it’s time to take it away.  Then she is not happy.

• We make pizza dough in our bread machine, but you can buy it at the grocery store or your local pizza shop.  Once it’s ready, they roll it out themselves to make personal pizza.  If you’d rather not have them make their own pizzas, give them a chunk of dough and have them use it like play-doh.  Hey, whatever keeps them busy while you finish the meal!

• Herb scissors.  Aren’t they so fun?  Obviously we do this with assistance but it’s great for fine motor skills.

• Smoothies.  Give the kids the cup section of the Magic Bullet, and have them build their own smoothie by choosing favorite ingredients (bananas, frozen berries, scoop of yogurt, honey, etc).  Then fasten on the blade and give it a whirl!  Now that’s an Instant Breakfast you can be proud of.

• Meatballs.  At first it’s tough for little hands to learn to roll them into balls, but watch as your kids get better and better every time.

• Quesadillas are simple to make for preschoolers.  We spread some refried beans on the tortilla using our must-have “gadget”: spreaders.  {This set is fabulous but pricey, this one too cute for words, and this set good for both kids and adults}.  Then add mild salsa and any other ingredients you’d like, and sprinkle with cheese.  Fold in half, have the kids brush the top with oil, have an adult put them in a skillet on the stovetop.  By the time you stick the kids in their chairs and settled for dinner, the ‘dillas are DONE.  Can’t get much easier than that, unless you spring for a quesadilla maker.

• This pancake batter dispenser was a Christmas gift for my husband, but we all love it.  It’s super handy for dispensing all kinds of batter, and the kids think it’s the most fun EVER to squeeze the handle and put better in muffin tins, cupcake liners, and the waffle maker (with supervision).

• My poor salad spinner sat empty and lonely for years.  But seriously, is there a more fun gadget than a salad spinner for kids?!  Wash your lettuce, put it in there, and let the kids GO.  Your salad will not have one drop of water left on it, I promise, and if you’re lucky the little guys will have worn themselves out with all that spinning.

• Around Valentine’s Day I bought this cookie cutter set at Michaels (with a coupon, of course) and I’m telling you, we use them all. the. time.  Mostly for cutting out jelly sandwiches, but also for rolled biscuits and, of course, cookie dough.  Cut bread for toast, pancakes for a fun syrup center, fruit for kabobs, cheese– cookie cutters are a versatile tool when you think about it, and the soft edge on this version is perfect for little hands.

• Last but not least, we don’t have this sandwich maker but if I buy one more gadget this will be the one.  Have the kids put fillings in their sandwiches and toss them in the maker.  Super simple sandwiches, custom made!

As for the gadget that DIDN’T work, I paid money for this corn cobber at the grocery store as an impulse buy, and wish I’d read the reviews on Amazon first:

DON’T BUY IT.  It doesn’t work.  Run a knife along your corn to get the kernels off the old fashioned way, it’s easier than risking your fingers on this piece of junk.  That’s what I get for falling for impulse buys!

Truth be told, you don’t need ANY special gadgets for cooking together as a family.  Heck, even pouring milk into a cereal bowl is a skill unto itself.  Take a deep breath, let go, and just do it.  It’s surprising all the things your little one can do, sometimes independently, sometimes with help.  While this isn’t the perfect answer to picky eaters and dinner-time chaos, I’m telling you my life has changed since I started getting the kids involved.  In fact, I would not be surprised if a certain formerly tube-fed baby turns into a chef in her own right.  Watch out, Paula Deen!