Healthy Foods, Your Grown Up Kids Can Cook

It is a general habit that kids imitate their parent’s actions, whether it is the smallest gestures or the worst of habits. Children grow up learning what they see their parents doing without understanding the consequences, good or bad. It is therefore, very important for nurturing parents to set their kids off on the right track when it’s concerning their eating habits and diets.

In order to develop and make your kids understand the need and importance of healthy eating for healthy growing and healthy living. Whenever, you find some quality time for your kids, involve them with you in the kitchen, and moreover, kids love to get involved in cooking and enjoy such activities. It is these initiatives that have helped make my older two, love joining me in the kitchen. Follow these simple steps as mentioned below and watch them learn to cook and enjoy healthy food and healthy habits.

• Involve them in meal planning. They also enjoy foods that they choose and help in its preparation.
• Tell them some interesting and fun facts about what you are cooking like where are they from, how to eat them, what are its nutritional values etc.
• Make them learn about safety and precautions they should undertake while cooking.
• Teach them to cook with a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Tell them to make these foods interesting with variations, they enjoy new and innovative foods, especially the one they are involved in.
• Encourage them to taste everything. In order to have your kids enjoy healthy food, you should also have healthy. Appreciate their efforts and enjoy the dishes together with the family. Kids take pride in it.

Getting involved in the process makes children interested in trying something new. Big Sis was super happy to make the pancakes (pictured above) while I suggested making the meal healthy with the addition of some seasonal fruits. But it would be wonderful if she and Lil Big Bro can whip up something healthier.

I spoke to the dynamic Dietitian and Nutritionist Sheela Seharawat from Diet Clinic who is famous for her efforts towards promoting healthy lifestyle awareness. Sheela was happy to give me some creative ideas that I am glad to be able to share with all you moms out there. Here are some healthy food items with recipes she suggested, that grown up kids can cook and delight all:

1. Fruit Skewers with Honey Yoghurt Dip

The colourful and fun filled dish is a great learning for young grownups.

Ingredients:

Long wooden skewers, cut in half : 10

Assorted fruit (Use whatever you like!)

Plain or vanilla yogurt  : 2 cups

Honey : 1/4 cup

Ground cinnamon  : 1/2 teaspoon

Preparation method:

• In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, honey and cinnamon.
• Thread fruit cut in cubes onto skewers and serve with yogurt dip.

Enjoy.

2. Fruity Pitas with Peanut Butter

As good as they taste, are healthy and wholesome. Kids enjoy to make their own servings.

Ingredients:

Peanut butter  : 1/4 cup

Grounded allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg : Quarter teaspoon

Whole wheat pita bread cut into half : 2

Medium apple, thinly sliced : ½

Medium firm banana, sliced :  ½

Preparation method:

• In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Spread generously inside the pita bread halves.
• Fill with apple and banana slices and serve.

Easy recipes for grown up kids to make

3. Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

A perfect recipe for the kids involved with breakfast. The generous mix of oatmeal, bananas and walnuts not only makes it delicious but healthy too. Just sprinkle some castor sugar and no need of any syrup, as the fruits are sweet in itself.

Ingredients:

Complete whole wheat pancake mix (readymade) : 2 cups

Large firm banana, finely chopped  : 1

Oats : ½ cup

Chopped walnuts : ¼ cup

Cooking method:

• Prepare pancake batter according to package directions.
• Stir in the banana, oats and walnuts into the batter.
• Pour batter by 1/4 cup full onto a hot plate or tawa coated by sprinkling a little cooking oil; turn when bubbles form on top.
• Cook until the second side is golden brown.

4. Chatpata Corn Chaat

Corn chaat is an easy to make and healthy snacks recipe that your young one make easily.

Ingredients:

Sweet Corn Kernels  :  1/2 cup (cooked)

Onions (chopped roughly}  : 1 tbsp

Tomato (chopped roughly}  :  1/2 tbsp

Carrot (grated or chopped roughly)  : 1 tbsp

Red Chilli powder : 1/4 tsp

Chat Masala powder : a pinch

Plain Sev : as required

Lemon Juice : 1 tsp

Coriander leaves : to garnish

Chaat Chutneys  : 1 tsp each (optional}

Butter : 1 tsp

Salt : to taste

Preparation method:

• Pressure cook corn for 4-5 whistles, remove the kernels from the cob and set aside (adult help is required).
• In a tsp of butter, toast corn for few mins until the edges start to turn brown, Switch off. Get all other ingredients ready.
• In a mixing bowl add everything and give a quick mix.
• While serving garnish with sev and serve.
• Serve warm.

5. Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich

A great dish for breakfast or snack, kids love to make it as well and have it. A good and healthy alternative for toast with jam. Variations can be made with vegetables like cucumber, onions and tomato to make a veggie sandwich.

Ingredients:

Bread                                                                                :           2 slices [wheat or normal]

Peanut butter                                                                     :           1 ½ tbsp

Banana                                                                              :           1 [sliced or chopped]

Honey                                                                               :           1 tbsp

Peanut Butter                                                                    :           1 tbsp

Preparation method:

• Cut the edges of the bread. Take a bread slices & grease with peanut butter.
• Place banana slices & sprinkle 1 tbsp of honey.
• Then cover with another slice of bread. Press gently & cut into 2& directly serve.

Variations:

1. Add butter, if you have sandwich griller at home, grill it in and serve hot.

2. Heat a ceramic pan, add butter, place sandwich, cook both sides and serve hot.