Cooking With Kids

I love to cook! I am no "foodie" and since the kids came along I haven't dabbled in many new recipes but still, the kitchen is my favourite room in the house!

So it would not surprise you that my eldest Grotbag was named after my favourite TV Chef, that my favourite show this year was Masterchef Australia (oh how I miss it) and that I expect that my boys will be able to rustle up a few good meals by the time they leave the nest.

Grotbag could say Jamie Oliver before he could say Bob the Builder, knows Nigella just by the sound of her voice and can name all the contestants and judges on Masterchef Australia! When I used to take him shopping as a toddler I would name all the things as I put them into the trolley knowing one day he would repeat them back. The first one he repeated in his gorgeous toddler voice was Salami!



I am really passionate about getting Grotbag and of course Bugalugs interested in cooking and food. They don't have to want to be chefs, but at least know where their food comes from, follow a good recipe and also be able to just throw something together from the pantry. I think it is really important, especially in this day and age of the microwave meal and fast food, that they learn the basics of proper cooking.

So, at every chance possible I get him to help me in the kitchen. Yesterday I cooked up a whole load of meals for the week and also a batch of puree's for Bugalugs. I got Grotbag cutting up the fruit and vegetables for the purees. He has his own small wooden chopping board and a knife which is actually a spreading knife so has a rounded end that way he can't stab himself. It is also sharp enough to cut through the food but blunt enough that Bugalugs won't find the end of his finger in his lunch!

Grotbag cutting apple to be pureed

Grotbag loves doing this, it's good hand eye coordination and we talk about how we are going to cook the food and I get him to taste it too. It's also great quality time we spend together. I have a fantasy where he is cooking a meal for his own family in years to come, maybe from my collection of cooking books that have been passed down to him and he is telling them how he always helped me in the kitchen (Sniff). He also loves the fact he has helped cook his brothers food and tells my 6 month old every time he is in his highchair!

We cook fun stuff too, his favourite is Banana & Choc Chip Muffins and he has become interested in my cake decorating set so in a few days we are going to make some cupcakes for him to decorate! I will have to make sure I am not to OCD about them being perfect.

I hope to continue this tradition with Bugalugs too so both my boys will be great cooks and in years to come invite their old mum round for dinner!