How to Know if You are a Family of Foodies
Not too long after Chris walked in the door last Friday he indicated his desire to buy and cook us some steaks on the grill.
How can you turn down an offer like that? He bought some incredible steaks and marinated them in a rub for three hours. Then he grilled them to absolute perfection. In the image above he is being carefully supervised by Nick as he puts the rub on the steaks.
Alot of people have asked me how I end up with kids that not only cook, but cook well. One, I have said before, Marc and I are blessed with incredible kids. There is no doubt about it. We definitely got the pick of the crop.
The other thing is that they have always been expected to be responsible for helping, and eventually creating, meals. Our family spends alot of time in the kitchen together. School work is often done at the counter as I am preparing a dessert, or something for Baking Delights. When I am trying to figure out what filling or flavor to use it tends to be a family brainstorming session.
Most of all I have always let them experiment. If they wanted a strawberry jam and salami sandwich on date nut bread they could have it. Kids need the freedom to create and experience food without people telling them what is and is not good. Surely the first time someone thought about putting chili with chocolate there was some nay-sayer that told them it would taste awful.
Messes can be cleaned up. Bad combinations can be thrown out. Learning to love cooking and working with food…well there is no substitution.
Tags: Cooking at home, cooking-with-kids, kids-cookingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Kids
10 opinions for How to Know if You are a Family of Foodies
courtney
Jun 3, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Your having a great week! And your a great mother and grand mother, you know that?!
Dolores
Jun 3, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Amen. :) Thanks for expressing it so well!
Marye
Jun 3, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Thanks Courtney. :)
Dolores, always a pleasure to *see* you.
Carrie
Jun 4, 2008 at 8:00 am
mmmmm… chili and chocolate!
I just love reading about your family! Big families are the best! :)
Marye
Jun 4, 2008 at 8:47 am
Thanks Carrie..I think so!
Mimi
Jun 4, 2008 at 11:08 am
You are so right! I was raised by foodie parents, and my sister and I were always encouraged to help prepare meals and experiment with new flavors and ingredients. As a result, I love to cook and the kitchen is not an intimidating place to be!
Bellini Valli
Jun 4, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I agree wholeheartedly!!!
Marye
Jun 4, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Mimi- that is wonderful!
Valli- I knew you would.
jen of a2eatwrite
Jun 5, 2008 at 10:59 am
I couldn’t agree more! My own DS wasn’t interested in cooking when we were homeschooling - he’d do it, but it wasn’t a joy for him. Now he’s becoming interested at age 15. My cousin, however, who I think was one of the early, early homeschooling parents, always started her day with her four kids planning out and putting together a soup or stew or baking bread or whatever - and now her son is a professional chef and all the girls cook beautifully!
Marye
Jun 5, 2008 at 11:43 am
Wow, Jen. I wonder if I will get a chef out of this bunch?
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