When I think of fall time, I think of cooler weather, the changing colors of the trees, comfy sweaters, pumpkin spice, and my favorite part of fall, which is baking delicious goodies. I love to find new recipes to try out for my family, especially if the recipe calls for pumpkin. To me, there is nothing better than to see my family enjoy something I baked from scratch or put together for dinner. I do have one confession to make, though: I have a terrible habit of baking and cooking all by myself, and I forget to include my son in the process to teach him how to cook and bake himself. I forget just how important it is to make sure he knows how to prepare food for himself, for when the day comes that he goes out on his own and for when he has a family of his own to make food for. Whenever I include my son in my baking or cooking, he enjoys it, and I love the sweet time we get to spend together, just like I used to spend with my mom.
According to the article Why Cooking With Kids is so Important by The Body Coach Joe Wicks, cooking with kids helps your children fall in love with cooking, forms a healthy relationship with food, helps them become more adventurous with trying new foods, helps nurture their creativity and inspires them, sets them up for independence with cooking as teenagers, helps them to learn to read and follow methods and understand portions and measurements, helps them to learn problem-solving, and is an excellent time for bonding with your children. I have noticed that the more I show my son about baking and cooking, the more he wants to try and do it on his own. I have seen his confidence in cooking and baking increase every time I teach him something new. Sometimes, he would surprise me and make something by himself for me to eat. So not only is he learning how to make food, but he is learning how to think of others.
This month, I encourage you to take the time to teach your kiddos something fun and easy to make. It can be as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich, helping prepare dinner, or baking some delicious cookies to share with the family.
If you really want something fun and easy to make with your kiddos, try this easy homemade caramel corn recipe by the Pinterest page Two Sisters Crafting. It is super easy to make with things you probably already have in your kitchen. My family and I love this caramel corn recipe, and it is the perfect recipe for the fall time. Have fun and enjoy.
by Trisha Kerwin