Family Food Preparation at Picnic Time
August 14, 2009 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Parenting
Since I’ve dubbed this Picnic Theme Week for readers of my Blisstree Parenting posts, it’s an ideal time to mention kids cooking or family food preparation. Many picnic foods are fairly simple, so why not let the youngsters help or even do all the preparation?
Image: sxc.hu
Most kids beg to help in the kitchen when they’re young, but moms sometimes feel they don’t have the time to let inexperienced fingers at the food. So sandwich making may be a good way to learn.
I recall a 4-year old niece being so excited because I let her help me make lunch sandwiches. Apparently she’d never had this experience before, so was thrilled simply to spread bread with butter or mayonnaise.
Then we placed simple sandwich fillings on the bread. She proudly carried the finished food to the table and announced to her cousins, “I made the sandwiches.”
How can children help? Much depends on their age and experience, but your having the patience to let youngsters loose in the kitchen will yield rewards later on when they can prepare entire meals themselves.
They can:
- Help plan the picnic menu
- Make sandwiches with simple, easy to spread fillings.
- Arrange celery and carrot sticks on a platter or place in a bag to tote along.
- Spread icing over cupcakes.
- Help stir various incredients….sandwich fillings, the icing for cupcakes, cake and cookie batter.
- Make instant type puddings
- Tear lettuce and add other incredients for salad.
- Making fruit punch
- Arrange pretty napkins and plates at the picnic table.
How do you incorporate your youngsters’ help at picnic time? This can be a fun family time.
