Having Little Ones Help in the Kitchen

We spend A LOT of time in the kitchen each day. We don't eat out a ton, and I have some dietary restrictions that make it difficult to eat much processed food, so over the years I've really come to value making sure the food I feed my family is nutritious and as close to "whole" as possible. We definitely indulge at times, but for the most part we cook three meals a day plus snack prep. We prep, cook, clean, repeat...ALL DAY LONG. But seriously, with three kids, sometimes it feels like I never leave the kitchen.

When my girls ask to help me out with any of the above process, I have to admit that it doesn't always feel like "help." It often feels like way more work, and I've been known to lose my patience every now and then. But it's always been really important to me to make sure that they are included in the kitchen when they want to be. So I've really had to work on not only my patience, but also some ways that they can effectively help without me losing it.

Below are a few things that I have found I can hand over to the kids to do without much supervision, which is always their favorite! And while they sort of seem like no-brainers, I personally probably waited longer than I needed to with some of these because I just didn't want the mess. Trust me, the mess is well worth it.

Cutting veggies - We use these kid friendly knives and they work great! Both my three year old and my five year old enjoy doing this. Full disclaimer, the veggies are often disproportionate, so if you are picky about that, you may want to wait until they are a bit older. However, I've found it's a great way to help them with coordination, and we don't really care if our veggies are cut perfectly, so win...win!

Browning meat - This one I only let our five year old do. You obviously want to make sure they are more coordinated around the stovetop before you leave them to do this one on their own. It's basically just stirring meat around a pan, and she likes to observe when there is no longer any pink showing anywhere. It's been a great help!

Flipping Stuff - pancakes, french toast, quesadillas, grilled cheese, and anything else you can think of that needs to be flipped! Another great coordination exercise!

Spreading with a knife - whether it's butter on toast, or peanut butter and jelly on a sandwich, this one gives them confidence and a feeling of independence as they "make" their own food.

In addition to helping in the kitchen, Ivy has been expressing interest in making things all on her own for us, so I've been on the hunt for recipes that will most likely be a success. Below are a few that I've found that she can do all by herself, start to finish.

• Bread in a Bag - this one is SO much fun! I found it while I was looking for activities during our bread baking unit study, and the girls both felt so accomplished. It was very little mess and they loved it!

• Rick Krispy Treats - I think everyone knows how to make these already, so I won't waste time linking one here. This was the first thing I had Ivy try all on her own, and it's a great one!

• Muddy Buddies

• Yogurt Parfaits - no recipe needed! Layer yogurt, fruit, granola, or anything else you like!

• Simple Crisps - we make an apple crisp that has only five ingredients and it's been an easy one for Ivy to replicate on her own.

Having your kids be a part of helping in the kitchen teaches some much needed skills and is a great bonding experience! On my worst days I lose my patience and just want to be left alone to make another meal for everyone. But on my best days, I embrace the mess and the questions and try hard to cherish the days that my kids want to be a part of EVERYTHING I do. It's all about balance, right?

If you already have your kids helping in the kitchen quite a bit, leave a comment letting me know what you like to have them help with and make!