As parents pay closer attention to how certain foods affect children’s behavior, it’s become increasingly clear that a well-nourished child is also a happy one. The great news is that it’s easy to make changes that will improve kids’ brain function, concentration, and outlook on life. Here are quick, delicious, and nutritious meals that will help grow a more contented, better behaved child, from an energy-boosting breakfast of blueberry and apple muffins to chicken dippers, (more…)

“I set very high standards for myself, and my daughter has set equally high standards for herself. I’m very proud of her achievements. This book is sure to have a positive impact and will be around for a long time.”
–Gary Null
Author of The Vegetarian Handbook and Good Food Good Mood.
(more…)

All you need is a can opener, a spoon, and a toaster (and even that’s optional). Start by opening a can of chunk light tuna, drained of all water, and place the tuna into a bowl. Break it up into smaller chunks with a fork. Next, add a tablespoon (or a little more, if you’re a fan) of mayonnaise or salad dressing and mix it in with the tuna.

For flavor, we like to add a dash of yellow mustard, a couple shakes of garlic salt, and a couple shakes of paprika. This is where your child can experiment with different flavors until they find their favorite. Try celery salt instead of garlic salt, parsley, black pepper, or whatever else is in your spice rack! Mix this all together evenly.

You can toast bread for the sandwich afterward, and add your favorite kind of cheese – we prefer shredded mozzarella and cheddar. If your kid is adventurous, try some crumbled feta with just a little bit of lemon juice. Have them spread the tuna salad mixture onto the bread, add the cheese, and lunch is served!

This is a great way to introduce a child to cooking independently. If you trust them with the stove, you can always hard-boil an egg and add that to the tuna salad as well.

Ingredients needed:
One half cup of honey
(alternative sweeteners *not* recommended as the taste would vary too much)
One cup of dry milk – nonfat
One half cup of graham crackers
One half cup of peanut butter (with nuts, or without)

Cold snack preparation:
Take the assorted ingredients and stir them up in a bowl. You can use a spoon, or even a fork for this. Just make sure that everything is stirred up until it has a smooth texture. Roll them into round shapes, the size of your choosing. Then put them in the refrigerator.

Hot snack preparation:
After they have been chilling in the refrigerator for a time, take the assortment of balls and heat them at 350 degrees in the oven for no more than 5 minutes, or heat them in the microwave for no more than 1 minute. Then, enjoy!

Optinal Toppings:
You can add these in either during the stirring process or to top them.
Nuts
Assorted sprinkles
Dried chocolate milk (e.g. Nestlé’s Quick)
Sugar sprinkles
powdered sugar Raisins

cookie

Kids love helping Mom and Dad in the kitchen and whipping up meals for family and friends, and this updated edition teaches kids the basics about cooking, kitchen safety, and nutrition, while offering recipes for a Just Peachy Smoothie, Bite-Sized Blueberry Pancakes, Poppin Popovers, Take-Along Trail Mix, and more! With 30 delicious food-themed puzzles, kids will have fun both in and out of the kitchen. Written by a certified dietitian, this creative cookbook gives kids the know chocolate-finger-lickin%C2%92/dp/1598695924/ref=sr_1_10/182-3655296-2786306?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250268756&sr=8-10?ie=UTF8&tag=metally-20″ title=”More at Amazon”>(more…)

Playful Chef is real cooking for kids. Help your child experience the wonderful world of food through the Playful Chef Complete Cooking kit. Playful Chef encourages children, and the adults who love them, to roll up their sleeves and engage in fun cooking adventures together. The Playful Chef is perfect for a weekend with the grandkids when multi-generation chefs share the kitchen or for hours of fun at your daughters sleep-over party. (more…)

The first one is scrambled eggs. To start, you will need an oven, flat pan, a bowl, a spatula, a fork, a slice of butter, two eggs, a half cup of milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. First crack two eggs into the bowl. Next, add the salt and pepper and milk into the bowl and mix with a fork until the mixture turns into a yellow liquid. Next, heat up the pan on the oven to the middle-high setting. After a couple minutes of heating, put the slice of butter in the pan and spread it around with the spatula. After you do that, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Begin to move the spatula around the pan until the mixture becomes solid. You can add ketchup for flavor. Serves two average kids or one really hungry one.

The next one is a very simple recipe that has been made for many years; The grilled cheese. All you need is an oven, a pan, two pieces, and a piece of cheese. first, heat the pan to medium. Then make a sandwich out of the cheese and the slices of bread and put it on the pan. Keep checking to see whether the bread has turned a different color. When it does, flip it over. Continue to do this until the cheese has melted. Serves one kid and a smile.

Last but not least, the Popsicle is one kids will like especially during the summer, but enjoyable all year. All you will need is a freezer, a small cup, a Popsicle stick, and the juice of any fruit of your choice (ex: orange, apple, cranberry, etc.). First put your chosen fruit juice into the cup and put the Popsicle stick into it so that one end of the stick is out of the cup. Then put it in the freezer until frozen. After it is done freezing, simply pull on the Popsicle stick so that the whole thing comes out and you have a Popsicle. Serves one kid.

Kids love to cook and help in the kitchen. That’s why Jennifer Low has created this book of 100 no-knives, no-flame, from-scratch recipes that kids can easily make with the help of a caring adult. Each recipe has been tested by kids aged four and up and each dish is beautifully photographed From Paddy Thai Noodles (an oven backed take on traditional Pad Thai) and One-Potato-Two Bread (more…)

One recipe that kids really enjoy to make and eat is Ants on a Log. Not only is this a very healthy treat with protein and vitamins, but there’s no cooking involved! A two year old could make Ants on a Log nearly as easily as you! All you need are the following ingredients and tools: peanut butter, clean celery ribs, raisins and a spoon. Simply scoop out a spoonful of peanut butter and smear it all along into the hollow of the celery stick. Now drop raisins on top of the celery like a trail of ants and Voila! You have Ants on a Log! Kids really get a kick out of these, and there’s absolutely no way to make them wrong.

Ice Cream Sandwiches are as much fun to make as they are to eat. You will need: vanilla (or your favorite flavor) ice cream, chocolate chip (or any other you like) cookies and an ice cream scoop. Now take two cookies and lay them flat. Place a scoop of ice cream on one cookie. Then put the other cookie on top of it. These Ice Cream Sandwiches can be enjoyed right away. To save some for later, wrap the individual sandwiches in plastic wrap. You can put these in a plastic container or freezer bag and keep them in the freezer, but I guarantee they won’t be there for long!

Cooking with kids is fun for them as well as for us. There’s nothing quite like the look on a child’s face when they’ve accomplished something they can be proud of. With the above recipes, no matter how much of it ends up on them- the results will be delicious!

Waffle Sandwich

1/4 cup low fat salad dressing
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
4 thin slices cheddar, Colby, Swiss or mozzarella cheese
4 slices (about 1/4 pound) deli turkey, ham or roast beef
8 toasted waffles

Combine salad dressing, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Spread dressing on one side of each slice of bread. Divide meat and cheese and place on dressing side of bread to make 4 sandwiches. Place 1 sandwich in the middle of heated waffle iron. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes or until sandwich is golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat with other sandwiches.

Cut your waffle sandwich into strips for easy dipping in ketchup or sauce. Try different combinations of meat, cheese, sauces and bread. It’s a great way to use left-overs!

Tuna Twist

1 (6-ounce) can water-packed light tuna
1/2 cup diced apple
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup light or fat-free salad dressing
1/3 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped pecans
4 lettuce leaves
4 taco-size (8 1/2-inch) whole wheat tortillas

Drain water from canned tuna and place in mixing bowl. Combine apple and lemon juice in small bowl. Add salad dressing, celery, pecans and apples to tuna and combine. Place lettuce leaf on each tortilla, spread with 1/4 of the tuna mixture and roll up. Slice into 3 pieces if desired. Wrap and keep in refrigerator until serving time.

Put the can of tuna in the refrigerator the night before making the sandwiches so ingredients are cold. The lemon juice keeps the diced apple from turning brown and adds a nice tart flavor. To save time, dice the celery, chop the nuts and wash the lettuce the night before.

Tropical Fruit Dip

2 cups fat-free sour cream
1 cup fruit-flavored yogurt
4 tablespoons (about 1/2 of 3.5 ounce package) vanilla instant pudding

Combine sour cream, yogurt and dry pudding in medium mixing bowl.
Mix well and chill.

Serve this dip with a variety of fresh or canned fruit. Kids can use a thin pretzel stick to “spear” their favorite fruit before dipping! Pretzels are much safer than toothpicks, which could cause choking in younger children.Fruit dip might encourage children to try a variety of available
fruit – some seasonal, some unusual, some favorites. Fruit is packed
with good-for-you nutrients and fiber, so it’s important to eat two to four servings every day. Try slices of kiwi, grapes cut in half and whole strawberries for variety and color. To keep bananas and apples from turning brown after cutting, try dipping cut pieces in pineapple or orange juice before serving. If your favorite fresh fruit is not in season, buy canned fruit, which is less expensive. Enjoy fruit and dip as a snack or dessert often. By varying flavors of ingredients, you’ll discover new favorites.