Making dinnertime fun
May 30, 2012
Cooking delicious and nutritious dinners that your kids willingly eat every night can be a challenge.
Some moms resort to becoming a short order cook and whipping up several different options in order to make everyone happy. However, there are some fun ways to mix up your dinner routine and satisfy all the tastes at your table.
A common way to get kids excited about eating dinner is to enlist their help in planning and preparing the meal. While it may be difficult for some moms to relinquish control, letting their kids do some of the cooking can encourage them to try new things. (It may also start a trend and give you more time to focus on other responsibilities, such as housework and homework!) You can get them excited about cooking by buying a kid-friendly cookbook or searching online together for yummy recipes.
If your kids are too little or are just uninterested in helping out, presenting food in creative ways can make dinnertime easier. Whether it's the way you arrange the food on the plate, cutting things into different shapes or using food coloring to change the appearance of their favorite items, it may help them be more willing to try what they've been served. Parenthood.com suggests serving "green slime" by adding food coloring to vanilla yogurt.
A theme night can be fun and educational as well. For example, declare every Friday night "try something new night." Pick a different type of cuisine or ingredient and build your meal around it. You can also do some research beforehand and discuss where the food comes from or how you prepared it during dinner.
Another way to make dinnertime fun, according to a blog on BabyBeHip.com, is to move away from the kitchen and have a picnic. Bring a blanket outside and sit in your yard or at a park, or have an indoor picnic any time of year.
You may also want to consider having breakfast for dinner or having a "reverse" dinner in which the whole family is allowed to indulge in dessert first.
Websites such as Pinterest offer great ideas for creative and delicious meal options. You'll be amazed at how easy - and effective - some of these tricks are!
Conquering mealtime can be tough, especially for busy moms with picky kids. However, this challenge is one that can easily be overcome by hard-working, dedicated mothers who are pursuing a college degree.
Remember, like financial planning for college, making dinnertime fun involves a little bit of research and preparation.
