Tot Thursday

Thank you Lisa for the "t" name idea! My brain hasn't been working lately :) silly hormones.

Anyway, food has always been a HUGE part of my family. Including the preperation and cooking. My 2 year old helps me every single day in the kitchen whether it be putting cookies on the baking sheet, to stirring pasta for mac and cheese (she knows you don't put the pasta in till you see bubbles in the water already...my little chef in the making) and yes, I know the kitchen is a dangerous place but I am a very firm believer in its dangerous only if you don't watch them and the danger grows with age and ignorence of how to use the tools IN the kitchen. Proper supervision and teaching are wonderous. Yes, I feel the same way about firearms...although I have no choice about having them in my house haha.

List of things your tot/child can do.

-Rinse veg and fruit

-Tear lettuce and herbs

-Stir dry ingredients for baking, and with you right there stir in the wet ingredients

-They have dull knifes for children to start learning on that wont cut them now

-Rolling dough

-Putting cheese on things

-Eating said cheese (lets be honest...snacking is the best part of cooking)

-Putting cookie rounds, or chicken nuggets, or fries etc on cookie sheets

Etcetcetc. Kids love helping prepare their food, and if they make it they're more likely to eat it. Very good news for moms with picky eaters like me! (note : this doesn't work with husbands...I've tried. That's why we have fake out friday tho!)

Quick Chicken Salad with Veggies (I know I know...no measurements haha I'm sorry. Make the amount you think your family will eat!)

Ingredients

-Lettuce of your choice, we like romaine hearts

-Vegetables of your choice, suggestions colorful ones like bell peppers and carrots

(side note my hampster is in his food cup...is incredibally cute...Ihad to share)

-Cheese of your choice, preshredded or you of course can shred it

-Chicken Nuggets, cooked (ours are easy to microwave in about 2 min, but follow package directions. Of course you may use grilled leftover chicken breast or the precooked bagged chicken in the salad area of the store)

-An array of dressings in cute little cups with plastic spoons in them

Directions

-Cut bottom off of the lettuce if you're using romaine hearts, let your child tear into pieces and put into a collander or salad spinner. Have them run water on the leaves and show them how to move them around so they all get clean. Dry well (this is probably your turn moms and dads) Have kids put into a big bowl

-Slice veg into small pieces or strips, if you have a childproof knife or your kid is good with a butter knife give them a few of the strips and let them have fun. Neeeever give kids sharp knives...I know for most that goes without saying but I'm covering bases here. Have kids put into bowl with lettuce

-Cut up chicken into pieces or leave in nuggets/strips your choice. Have kids put in bowl previously mentioned

-Let kids put all the cheese you want into salad. Its good for them!

-Have fun tossing all the ingredients together, both of you.

-Serve in individual bowls, let kid choose dressing and let them put it on their own salad (thus the cups of dressing with spoons to drizzle) trust me, to them they just made dinner all by themselves and they're going to be so proud!