A Family Feast for Summer

During the school year, most kids have few opportunities to contribute to the daily life of the household, particularly when it comes to food. After-school activities, carpools, and, of course, homework mean less time to prepare a meal together. Well here's our chance -- summer's the perfect time to let kids exercise a little culinary control while reinforcing important skills they need to succeed in school. What better place than the family kitchen to embark on an activity that involves all the important competencies: reading accurately, following directions, listening carefully, manipulating and measuring, and working collaboratively -- all within a creative context.

Launching a cooking project with children can be a spontaneous, seat-of-the-pants affair anytime during the day. It's a great way to fill an idle hour with hands-on fun and it can bring an enormous sense of pride and competence to even the youngest members of the family.

With small children, choose uncomplicated recipes like soup, instant pudding, or packaged rice mixes -- anything with a set of directions printed on the package. If you have an older child who can read the directions aloud, give him the role of announcer while you and your little one listen, pour, and mix. Even a toddler can join the group as a gofer, fetching unbreakable bowls from cupboards, finding the wooden spoon, wielding a sponge, and, of course, being a taster.

With older children, you can venture into recipes requiring a number of ingredients and steps. Most kids love the idea of a project with multiple dimensions: looking up the recipe in the index of the cookbook; listing the ingredients; poking through refrigerator and cupboards for the necessary supplies, and lining up utensils.

Throughout, you can be a subtle role model: "Hmm, let's reread that part to be sure we got it right," (reinforcing the value of doublechecking for accuracy) or "Are you finished with this? I'll wash it and get it out of your way" (teamwork). Aren't most lasting lessons learned this way?

If your children really enjoy messing around with food, encourage them to invent their own dipping sauces for raw vegetables or cold sauces to accompany roasted meats. Line up several teacups or small dishes and an assortment of ingredients such as mayonnaise, yogurt, ketchup, chutney, honey, curry powder, chili powder, lemons or limes, and a nice pile of chopped parsley.* Ask each child to combine one or more favorite ingredients to make a couple of small variations for the family to sample. At the table, everyone can vote on their favorites, and analyze why you do or don't like certain combinations. Reluctant or picky eaters may even find themselves chowing down in the interests of research.

Get a jump on summer's heat by cooking a pound of pasta or a batch of rice early in the morning. Drain, refresh under cold running water, and set aside. At the end of the day, ask your kids to help you create a room-temperature feast using the cooked pasta or rice. Those who are old enough to use a knife can cut up celery, Vidalia onions, scallions, or peppers. Less experienced children can grate carrots and cheese. Your youngest ones can assemble small piles of peanuts, currents, or toasted sesame seeds. Toss the ingredients together and add your favorite salad dressing.

Most kids love the idea of making a tangible, grownup contribution to family life. Thank goodness for a summer break where that can happen.

More on: Nutritional Resources for Families