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Creative presentation

Kids who are particularly fond of visual art may enjoy creating an aesthetically pleasing dining experience even more than cooking. Kids can express their creativity in the kitchen without even using their cooking skills by setting the table, creating a centerpiece, or arranging food on a plate so that it looks as good as it tastes.

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Make it a competition

Most kids enjoy a friendly competition and many also like watching cooking competitions on reality TV. You can bring this idea into your home kitchen by creating your own cooking competition. Pick a theme and let the kids get creative by making their own recipe. Some ideas might be a cupcake or cookie decorating challenge, an appetizer, or main dish. You can make it more challenging by determining ingredients they must include (or can’t use) in their recipe.

Plan the menu

My kids don’t always love what I choose to cook on weeknights. To get them involved and increase the likelihood that they will eat what I am serving, I like to ask them to help me plan the weekly menu. Sometimes my older kids will offer to cook one of the meals themselves. I try to encourage them to choose menu items that include vegetables and fresh, healthy ingredients. This also gives us an opportunity to discuss budget. You can take it a step further and let them help you pick out items at the store and help prepare the meals.

Kids that are comfortable in the kitchen are usually more self sufficient, eat healthier foods, have a wider palette, and are more likely to try new foods. More importantly, it’s fun to spend time together and get creative in the kitchen with your kids.