This is a re-post from a previous year.
My “big” kids (3, 4, 5) are suddenly big into helping me in the kitchen. All together. All the time. Three stools in the kitchen. Three voices begging, “What can I do next, Mom?!” Three times the time and mess and dirty dishes. Be jealous. I mean, cherish every moment, Emily. Sheesh.
Well, I am determined to make this work. I know they won’t be begging to set the table when they are thirteen. And I really do want my kids to have confident kitchen skills (As in, I want them making dinner for us by the time they are eight). I have recently realized that’s only going to happen if I actually make a point to teach them kitchen skills. Hm.
So this week I am going to be intentional about having my kids help me in the kitchen. If they aren’t there, I am going to call them. Did I just say that? I did. And I am. Let’s get cooking.
Here’s what’s for dinner at my house this week:
Monday — Spaghetti with Roasted Marinara Sauce (from the freezer), No-Knead Bread, sliced vegetables
Tuesday — Kale & Quinoa Salad (similar to this), No-Knead Bread, fruit
Wednesday — Huevos Rancheros, fruit
Thursday — Lasagna (similar to this), green salads
Friday — Birthday Dinner
Saturday — Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce, Broiled Asparagus with Balsamic-Butter Sauce, Sweet Potato Biscuits
Sunday — Dinner Out
We’d love to feature some of YOUR menu plans! Go here to find instructions on how to submit your plan and have it published on Frugal Living NW!
Find more great recipes on Frugal Living NW! Find more frugal homemaking posts here. Find past menu plans here.
What are you making for dinner this week? Be sure to leave a link to any recipes in the comments!
We own one of these Curious Chef Nylon Knives (Amazon). This set of 3 knives is less than $10! These Curious Chef knives are great because they allow little hands to help cut softer foods (although they work just fine on things like apples and cucumbers, too) while giving you the peace of mind that no one is going to lose a finger. These would also make a great kid gift, paired with a small apron and some cooking mixes.
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Just to let you know they might still beg to cut cucumbers at 13. My son who’s now 12 still begs to do anything in the kitchen (including setting the table) and he started out the same way. Actually I would encourage you to let them knead bread too can be way messy but it’s a fun experiment with lots of science to be had (any cooking can be good math and science lessons too!)
Love this post! My kids are totally wanting to help, too. My son flips out if I start cooking before we wakes up from nap. I will check out the knife set. Ikea has a cute utensil set with thongs, whisk, spoon, etc for $6.99.