get cookin'

There are many ways to get your tweens involved in mealtime, and one of our favorite methods is to encourage participation from start to finish. Here are some ways to get cookin’ with your tween!

• If you really want to get a head start on raising a tween foodie, plant an edible garden! Visit the Natural Gardener to attend free classes, load up on organic veggies and get expert advice on planting that raised bed. 
• Have your daughter bring a friend to the farmer’s market or invite her along for a grocery outing that’s just for the ingredients for her favorite meal. 
• Take a cooking class together at Central Market, Batter Up Kids!  or Foodie Kids.
• Get a small group of parents and tweens together to have a make-your-own pizza party with each family contributing a homemade side. 
• Rotate dinner duty with each kid getting to be head chef, including menu planning and hands-on kitchen work. 
• Pick a family your tween knows to take a home baked treat to. 

Even if you aren't a whiz in the kitchen, many simple recipes can make fun family projects that even the most reluctant tween can get excited about. And you can keep it healthy while also making room for fun treats, focusing on overall nutrition and wellness rather than calorie counts. The goal here is to create a lifetime love of cooking and an understanding of how important food is to our health, community and planet.

For bonus points, don’t forget to let her play her favorite music while cooking!