A guest post from Jen Muczynski, registered and licensed dietitian
“Hey mom, do we have a Meez I can make?” You can imagine my initial reaction of shock when my daughter, who happens to be a tween, uttered those exact words.
This is the same kid who often throws her dirty clothes on the floor and would rather be doing ANYTHING other than a domestic chore. My daughter has suddenly developed a strong interest in experimenting in the kitchen and I am rolling with it.
Here are a few reasons why:
- Eating and preparing meals together is a great way to strengthen family ties and establish healthy eating habits. Children will be more excited to try something new if they helped prepare it.
- Tweens (defined as a youngster between 10 and 12 years old) will gain a sense of self-worth from doing productive jobs to support the family.
- While cooking together, you can squeeze in a mini nutrition lesson while emphasizing the nutrient quality of food, not the calorie or sugar content. It is better to promote the functionality of the foods we eat rather than treating certain foods as forbidden. This oldie but goody gives a nutritional snapshot of over 200 foods!
- Kids need reminders and reinforcement to eat a well-balanced diet containing vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, lean meats and/or legumes and nuts. Assisting in the kitchen will help young ones understand and identify the major food groups.
- As kids get older and start to approach the teenage years, they will be spending more time with friends and less time at home. This means they will start making their decisions independently about what to eat. Why not start them off on the right foot while they are young?
Are your kids not into cooking yet? Spark their interest with these quick tips:
- Pull out those cookbooks! Let the kids flip through the pages and choose a recipe they would like to make. Choose a book with lots of appetizing pictures of food. We like The Mom 100 cookbook.
- Host a “kids cook for parents” night. Invite one or two other families over for dinner and then surrender the kitchen to the kids. Younger kids can make menus and wash veggies while the older kids can do the actual cooking.
- Subscribe to a kids cooking magazine like ChopChop.
- Take a cooking class together. You can find one at The Kids Table or The Chopping Block.
- Make the kitchen a tech free zone. Put the phones away and enjoy the sights, smells and conversation that ensues when cooking together.
- Praise, praise, praise! Every chef loved compliments and recognition.
- Have your kids pick what they want to order from Meez. Pre teens and teens are more open to trying new foods. Give them the freedom to choose and reject foods.
Before you know it, you can sit back and sip a glass of wine while the kids cook dinner for the family.
About Jen Muczynski
I am a registered and licensed dietitian living in Chicago. Food is my passion! When I am not planning meals for my family or analyzing food labels at the grocery store, I am reading up on the most up to date evidence based nutrition studies. I enjoy dispelling the many myths we encounter everyday regarding diets and health.
I discovered Meez Meals in 2013 after undergoing major back surgery. I wanted to feed my family nutritious and home cooked meals but did not have the strength and energy to plan, shop, wash, chop and cook. Meez was a life saver! Even though I am back on my feet with more stamina and spirit than ever, I still depend on Meez for the majority of our meals. It is fast, easy and great for exposing kids to new vegetables and grains!
I enjoy volunteering for organizations such as Purple Asparagus, Lakeview Pantry and Girl Scouts (cookies are okay in moderation!). I am passionate about teaching others how to take nutrition back to the basics by using strategies that focus on whole foods, fitness and mindful eating. Eating right plays a tremendous part in our well-being. Many factors such as physical and emotional health, stress, and adequate rest affect food choices. I am motivated to help others foster a healthy relationship with the food they eat.
I am currently working on becoming a certified health coach with ACE in order to strengthen my motivational coaching skills. Since food is my hobby, pastime and passion I would love to help others find fun and easy ways to feel better about their nutrition choices.
Hungry for More?
Brussels, broccoli, cauliflower…these are just a few of the fresh veggies that we are planning to prepare for you to cook with this week. Spinach is featured in our Rotini di Modena with Chicken and Spinach entree (deliciously shown above). It starts with a creamy balsamic sauce, paired with juicy chicken breast, sauteed spinach and rotini pasta. This week also offers Panang Curry, Southwestern Salmon, Buttermilk Salad with Nut Crusted Chicken, Aztec Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing and lots more. Creative recipes loaded with vegetables. Local footprint. Meals in a flash. That’s the magic of Meez.
Fantastic article! Great job!