Food and The Kitchen

Food plays a huge part in our culture.  It symbolizes something different for each and every one of us.  Some of us live to eat, others eat to live.  All families have their own approach to food.

However, as with everything to do with small children, laying down foundations for eating healthily and having a positive relationship with food needs to start early.

Key to this positive relationship is the kitchen.  The kitchen should represent a safe and welcoming space for your family.  If you have the space, let them be with you in the kitchen and get them involved!  A wooden spoon and saucepan lid will keep them playing happily for much longer than you would think!  If it is possible have a dedicated cupboard for them with utensils that your child can play safely with – change the contents regularly – this is always a winner!

Once your children are big enough they love helping.  Give them tasks - sorting, pouring, whisking and chopping to name but a few of the jobs that are mirrored by the adult in the kitchen.  As they grow, laying the table, filling and emptying the dishwasher and doing the washing up and drying up should be an everyday part of family life.  This won’t be guaranteed argument free but simply expect it of your children and it will happen!

Encourage your child to try out as many different foods as possible and discuss their likes and dislikes.  Get them involved in the planning of meals.  You do have to accept that your child’s choice may not be what you – or your partner – would normally be drawn towards, but it is a democratic way of everyone having a choice!  It is only recently that my number 3 took “bits n bobs” off his top 3 favourite meals (he is 17!)

Food has the amazing power to bring us together as a family.  Once you have them sitting around a table, conversation, discussion and sharing ideas naturally follow.

As ever, books and reading to children are activities that we cannot recommend highly enough.  Here are some family favourites around the topic of food!  Enjoy……….

Give a mouse a cookie                                Laura Numeroff

Bread and Jam for Frances                        Russell Hoban

Green eggs and ham                                  Dr Seuss

Can I eat that?                                               Joshua Stein

The very hungry caterpillar                        Eric Carle

I will not never eat a tomato                      Lauren Child

Sam’s sandwich                                            David Pelham

The tiger who came to tea                          Judith Kerr

Don’t put your finger in the jelly nelly       Nick Sharratt

The little red hen and the ear of wheat    Mary Finch

Photo Credit: Henley Design Studio