Between working, homemaking, and facilitating distance learning, a lot of us moms are stretched thin these days. Our calendars may be empty, but our days are certainly full.
Many of us are guilt-ridden that our kids are home but we can’t be as present with them as we’d like. One way to combat this is by cooking with your kids. Not only do you complete a necessary chore, but you’re teaching life skills, spending quality time with your child, and keeping them busy (and off the screens). It’s kind of a four-birds-one-stone situation.
While cooking with your child is one thing, during this time of quarantine we have an opportunity to cook some really fun stuff. Like, the stuff you always thought might be cool to try and make from scratch but figured you never had the time. In recent weeks I’ve been incorporating dishes that my kids love eating and I thought they’d enjoy cooking. When we do this, it’s more of an event and less of a chore. I usually schedule them on evenings with nothing else on the calendar (ie, no 6:30 pm Zoom dance class) so we don’t have to rush against any clock and just get to enjoy our time together in the kitchen.
Here are some fun things your kids will love cooking (and eating).
Pasta. Every kid loves pasta, and it’s way easier to make than you think. I don’t even have a pasta maker and just rolled the dough with a rolling pin and cut it with a pizza cutter. The noodles were thick and rustic, and tasted so incredibly fresh. If you’ve never had fresh pasta, you need to try this with your kids. They’re going to love it. We used this recipe. The next week we even made ravioli. To be honest they would have been better with a pasta machine (they were a little thick since the dough was hand-rolled), but it was still a super fun kitchen experiment. And the kids ate them without complaint, so it’s still a win.
Tortillas. Do you have flour and salt? You can make tortillas. Here’s a recipe. Every child I’ve ever met – even the most picky – love tortillas. This will be a fun one!
Pizza Dough. Make-your-own pizza is one thing. But the dough? Make that, too! Your child will be surprised at how much it rises and they’ll be so proud of their contribution for your next pizza night! Try this recipe!
Gyoza (Potstickers). My kids love gyoza any time we get takeout. When we make them at home, I usually just get the frozen ones from the grocery store. But they’re totally do-able to make at home for a fun afternoon with the kids in the kitchen. So buy some wrappers (hint: they’re in the refrigerated section near the salad dressings), set aside a couple of hours, and have your kids scour YouTube for their favorite wrapping tutorial. You’re going to love this one! Try this recipe.
Spaetzle. I lived in Germany when I was younger, and my brother lives there now. I thought it would be fun to make a dish to introduce my kids to an international culture they’ve never experienced, and this one was fun! It’s a dumpling-like rustic egg noodle that you can make with a kitchen gadget, or just use your hands to drop little pieces of dough into boiling water to cook. That’s what we did – and it turned out great! Once you have your noodles, saute them with butter and seasonings or serve them as a base for stew, pot roast, or any other sauce-y dish. Here’s a recipe!
There are so many options – these are just a few. Get creative and figure out how you can turn “chore time” into “fun family time.” Think of your child’s favorite store-bought or restaurant meals, countries where you have friends or family, or the country of a missionary or child you support.
What will you make first?
