Pinnacle Prevention
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Position on Justice
  • How We Work
    • Active Living
    • Arizona Food Systems Network
    • Double Up Food Bucks Arizona
    • Farmers Market Nutrition Program >
      • Farmers Market Nutrition Program - ESPAÑOL
    • Trauma Informed Nutrition Initiative
    • Pots to Love
    • Seeds to Grow
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Blog
  • Donate

What's On Our Hearts and Minds​

Let’s Get Cooking! Mealtime Tasks for Every Age

4/12/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Getting your kids involved in the kitchen can help them learn, explore, develop healthy relationships with food, and inspire habits and memories that last a lifetime. Starting at an early age, encouraging your children to help with meals can shape the way they see food and also how they prepare it for themselves later on. Here are some tips and tricks for various age groups that are sure to have everyone in the family cooking in no time!
Picture
At this age, help your kids get familiar with touching foods. They can mash potatoes, wash fresh fruits and veggies, pour ingredients into mixing bowls, or sprinkle seasonings on finished meals. These young preppers can have fun and lend a hand while you handle the larger tasks!
Picture
During this age, children can start helping with more involved tasks. Under proper supervision, they can start chopping soft foods with plastic or kid-friendly knives. This is also a good age to practice reading recipes! Ask them to guide you through the steps on the recipe, and help you find the ingredients and tools you’ll need for each step. They can also measure dry and liquid ingredients, set timers, and help prep the table and clean up after dinner. 
Picture
This is a great age to give your children more responsibilities. As they can be more independent in the kitchen, have them make salads, build sandwiches, mix ingredients, and more. They can cook with you at the stove or oven, and can learn a lot by making their own muffins or cookies from start to finish. Encourage children at these ages to make their own lunches and come up with their own creations for mealtimes. This is also a great age for kiddos plant their own herb garden and learn more about where their food comes from! 
Picture
Young adults are curious, learn quickly, and can be inspired while getting more involved in mealtimes. Once you’re sure they know the proper safety measures, have your preteens or teens use appliances like blenders, food processors, the stove, and more. They can be responsible for entire side dishes or even main courses from start to finish. If your kids are interested and excited to be involved, designate one whole meal a week that they can cook for the family. This gives them creative control over their food, allows them to multitask, fosters responsibility, and will help them develop healthy habits to last a lifetime.


​Cooking with the whole family is not only a great way to spend time together, but also a great way to learn about nutrition, healthy eating habits, and positive relationships with food. Children of every age can find a place in the kitchen during meal times, no matter how small the task is. Check out our blog for more tips, tricks, and insights on growing healthy families and communities! 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Pinnacle Prevention Blog

    Follow our blog for tips, insights and conversations about healthy living.

    Archives

    May 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    August 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    Active Living
    Activity
    Agriculture
    Bicycling
    Bike Lanes
    Biking
    Body Image
    Breastfeeding
    Community
    Complete Streets
    Environmentally Friendly
    Family
    Family Friendly
    Farm Bill
    Farmers
    Farming
    Farm To School
    Food Security
    Food Systems
    Food Waste
    Health
    Healthy Habits
    Heat
    Hiking
    Holidays
    Hunger
    Kids
    Legislature
    Local Economy
    Malnutrition
    Nonprofit
    Nutrition
    Outdoors
    Parks
    Policy
    Public Spaces
    Public Transportation
    Resources
    Safety
    Schools
    Self Care
    SNAP
    Staying Active
    Sustainability
    Trails
    Transportation
    Volunteer
    Walkability
    Walking
    Women


Location

We have moved!

New address:
484 W. Chandler Blvd. Chandler, AZ 85225

​480.307.6360
info@pinnacleprevention.org

Picture
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Position on Justice
  • How We Work
    • Active Living
    • Arizona Food Systems Network
    • Double Up Food Bucks Arizona
    • Farmers Market Nutrition Program >
      • Farmers Market Nutrition Program - ESPAÑOL
    • Trauma Informed Nutrition Initiative
    • Pots to Love
    • Seeds to Grow
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Blog
  • Donate