Ways to get kids involved in mealtime

Involving children in mealtime preparations is a great way to teach valuable life skills at any age. From helping with grocery shopping to preparing full meals (depending on their age), we think these tips will provide great ways to get the whole family involved with cooking.

Meal Planning
• Ask them to check the pantry and refrigerator for certain items while making your list
• Allow your children to pick their favorite vegetable and make each child’s item a focus on separate nights

Grocery Shopping
• Teach your kids the names of produce and show them how to pick ripe items
• Older children can read food labels and ingredient panels

Food Prep
• Younger children can scrub fruits and vegetables and work on fine motor skills
• Have older children count items and do easy measurements

Storage and Organization
• Show them how to rotate items in the pantry and check expiration dates
• Have your kids group items that go together for storage - rice and oatmeal next to each other, while olive oil and sesame oil are in a different place, for example