Taking the Stress out of Mealtime Prep

Posted by Jenny Evans Jul 4, 2009

For me and for most other moms I know, getting dinner ready is one of the most stressful times of the day. The kids are bored and I'm trying to simultaneously entertain them and cook!

We've been playing a restaurant game at home for the past three weeks, and the kids and I love it. My 3 and 5 year old get so excited to take turns being the Junior Chef and the Hostess every night that they usually start asking around 2 or 3 P.M. if it's time to start making dinner yet.

I've made cookies with the girls on an occasional basis, but have never regularly cooked with my kids. Now that we've started, I'm surprised by how much my 5 year old is learning by cooking with me! She's reading me the recipe, knows how to pull out the seeds inside a green pepper, and even flips the chicken in the frying pan. At 5, she's already a much better cook than I was when I first moved out on my own.

For more information about meal prep with kids and ideas for lunch that don't include peanut butter and jelly, also read "20+ Creative Lunch Ideas for Parents."