Kids Cooking and Cookbook Blog

There are hundreds of diets and different ways of eating right for good health. I want to tell you about a very simple way to help you meet your food needs. This way will help you eat the right foods in the right amounts for better health.

This method is called the Half-Plate Rule. You take a plate – a regular dinner size plate if you are a grown-up, or a smaller plate if you are younger.
Then you visually divide this plate in half.
You fill half of this plate with vegetables and/or fruit.
You fill 1/4 of this plate with lean meat or protein.
You fill the other 1/4 of plate with whole grains.
Young children can add milk.

Most children are really hungry when they get home from school. Here is a quick snack even young children can help prepare.

Apple and Cheese Posts

1 apple
2 ounces of Cheddar cheese
Orange juice or other fruit juice
Toothpicks

Cut apple into quarters and remove core. Slice each quarter in half and cut crosswise into bite-size pieces. Dip apple chunks in orange juice or other juice, such as pineapple, lemon or lime.

Cut cheese in cubes about the size of the apples. Stick a toothpick into apples and cheese.  Arrange all on a plate.

As we are winding down the month of March, National Nutrition Month, I wanted to summarize six “good health” ideas that can get powerful results. For your well-being, these are suggestions for everyday living that can boost health and energy.

1. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Eat a variety of fruit. Try to include 2 a day. Berries and citrus fruits are especially good choices.

2. Vary your veggies. Eat more yellow and dark green vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and dark leafy vegetables. Tomatoes, onions, pepper, celery, mushrooms, cabbage and cauliflower are other good selections.

Most pre-school children love to “work” in the kitchen, just like grown-ups. Cooking with children can be a challenge, but it can also be a great experience for both child and adult.

Here are some jobs many preschoolers can do in the kitchen with a little supervision:

• pre-measure ingredients for recipes
• stir ingredients in a bowl
• set the table
• wash foods in a colander
• core, tear and rinse lettuce
• tear spinach
• snap beans
• shell peas
• prepare garlic cloves
• peel bananas
• stem strawberries

Image via Wikipedia

Pineapples grow in warm climates and are native to South America. In their natural form, they have rough, prickly exteriors.  Early tribal natives called this “anan” or “excellent fruit”. Later it was called “pineapple” for its resemblance to a pine cone. It is known for its intense sweetness. juiciness, and excellent flavor.

Historians tell us Christopher Columbus discovered pineapple on one of his journeys to new lands and brought it back to Europe. Here the people were largely without any common sweet foods. Most of the sweets came from fruits grown, but each had a limited growing season. Sugar refined from cane was imported from the Middle East and the Orient but this, too, was very expensive.

Image via Wikipedia

Everyone is anxious to see the flowers come up, leaves bud out on trees, and weather warm up. With spring there is new hope.

It is good to be hopeful. This tends to lift the soul and put a smile on one’s face. It makes a person healthier and happier. Having hope may even create better relationships with family, friends, and community members.

Dr. Charles R. Synder is a psychologist at the University of Kansas who studies hope. According to him, there are certain characteristics hopeful people have that others do not. Some of these include:

This just came in over my radar screen – and I want you to have this information, too. Many of you know this and have been practicing it for years, but for those who have not heard – listen up – it’s important.

• Do not drink water or any liquid from plastic bottles that have been in the sun. If the bottles have been left in the car, the heat from the sun and the plastic form certain chemicals that can leak into the water and be dangerous to the body.

Image via Wikipedia

Today we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone is a wee bit Irish. St. Patrick is one of the world’s most popular saints, along with St. Valentine and St. Nicholas. He was known for bringing Christianity to all of Ireland. When the potato famine struck in Ireland, many people immigrated to the United States. They brought their traditions and love of St. Patrick with them.

Shamrocks and leprechauns are associated with this day. Wearing something green, and even preparing and serving something green is traditional on this day.

Here is an easy but tasty green dessert.

Aren’t you glad you know your way around the kitchen and can prepare good food for yourself and others?  Hopefully the recipes in this blog have helped you come up with some tasty dishes to set before the king (I mean, friends or family).

The media tells us we are in a new era of thrift. There is a suggestion we may not be able to eat out as often as we would like. Perhaps the days are gone when everyone can go out for pizza or hamburger after a game.

Image via Wikipedia

Here is a list of potentially dangerous home situations. I suggest you discuss them with another member of your family. What would you do if any of the following occurred in your home?

Jennifer has just broken a glass in the sink. How should she clean it up?

Halley just came home from the store with some cleanser and bleach. Where should they be stored?

Meridee is washing dishes but wants to go and turn on TV. What should she do first and why?

She also splashed some water on the floor. What should she do?