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Thanks to Kohls and Fitfluential for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

One of the things I’m most excited about as Squish gets older is the fact that he’ll soon be able to start helping me in the kitchen! I used to love helping my mom in the kitchen and still remember the recipe my sister and I made every time we were in charge of making dinner (Tuna Wiggle).

Getting kids into the kitchen is a great way to teach them about food and encourage them to try new foods. It can also help them with their hand-eye coordination and give them a sense of responsibility and accomplishment. As they get older they can work on their math and reading skills as well by following recipes.

I reached out to some of my mom friends to ask them how their kids help them in the kitchen. It made my heart happy to see how many responses I got. Hopefully this will give you some ideas of different tasks you can give your kiddos.

Here’s what my fellow moms had to say. If they’re bloggers – I’ve linked to their blogs so you can go check them out!

Kristy –

Katie – 

Joey’s favorite part about being in the kitchen with me is seeing the before and after of something I cook. I’m guessing it’s similar to cause and effect. Here’s what something looks like before it goes into the oven or stove or grill, and here’s the final, cooked product. I also let him touch the different foods before and after and of course, we talk about food colors and shapes too! He’s almost two… I’m hoping he can start helping me prep in a few months instead of just poke at the food 😉 

Perfect for kid-sized food:
Mini Muffin Tin

Kristi-

Melissa – 

Most of the time my boys would rather be playing in the dirt but when they do want to help I try and incorporate them (even though cooking is often my “quiet” time)  Ira is showing more interest in helping than Theo did so I’m looking forward to seeing how his desire to cook pans out as he ages!

Holley – 

Ellie loves to help crack eggs, shuck corn, and peel carrots. These are both tasks she started helping me do at age 3. I found that with the corn and the carrots, she will often start eating the food raw as soon as she’s finished with her job.

Amelia –

Katie – 

My four year old Hudson and I love cooking together! He loves to smell spices and ingredients and taste test them before we add them to a dish. He measures, pours, stirs and even cuts soften ingredients. I often give him his own pot (off the flame) to use to make his own dish with the ingredients on hand. His latest obsession is balling melon and grating cheese with the microplane. True story:  Hudson and I were “cooking” dinner.  He has his own pot of goodies into which he added raw potatoes, navy beans, an ENTIRE jar of fennel seeds plus some salt and pepper to season it, of course.  He proudly stirred it around and went in for a HUGE bite.  I (in disgust) almost stopped him.  I paused and let him have his taste.  His reply…”Mmmmm, Yummy”.  He went back for seconds.

Katie –

My kids are 2 and 4. I let them help measure and pour ingredients. They are so proud when it all comes together. I also let them help with assembly if it’s not too messy.

Brittany –

My favorite invention is “worms” with the garlic press- avocados work great, as do bananas. Beans are fun for them to squish too and cheap. Great for any age- especially 2 on, but even at almost 4, my daughter loves it. She also pulls leaves off of kale or herbs, pushed the salad spinner and I let her mix her own ingredients, then we bake whatever she creates. Lots of fun!

Make worms with this Garlic Press

Diane –
My two granddaughters love to help me cook. They measure and stir and help decorate. Great memories and fun.

Tara – 

I nanny a 7 year old and she helps cut things with a butter knife that we call a “beginner’s knife”. Things like broccoli, cucumber, banana, anything soft she is able to help cut. She makes guacamole ALL on her own (I just peel and cut the avocado for her), she tears the lettuce for salads and I also call her my “spice girl” because she seasons almost every dish we make. If something needs exact measures, she holds the measuring spoon/cup and I pour the ingredient into the measuring spoon/cup and she dumps it in the bowl.

Robin –

I’ve written several articles about the value of getting kids in the kitchen. Check out Kids In the Kitchen – It’s Worth the Mess & Building Kitchen Confidence In Kids.

Lauren –

My two-yr-old keeps his step stool by the counter and mixes, dumps pre-measured ingredients, cracks eggs, puts veggies in the food processor and cranks the pasta maker. He especially likes prepping his own breakfast– scooping out oatmeal or cracking and stirring eggs.

Claire –
Cora (2) helps stir things, pulls spinach off the stem to add to things, and helps put things like shredded cheese or cut up fruit into bowls. I also usually have some uncooked dry beans or pasta for her to scoop and play with to keep her occupied while I do things she can’t help with.

Shannon –
My teenage son enjoys doing the chopping & baking. Soon I will teach him how to grill. My kids also know how to make their own eggs & several go-to simple meals.

Kate –
Not a parent, but as a teacher, we include cooking as part of our curriculum (it’s great for math, teamwork, and to promote healthy eating and trying new foods). Tasks vary, but generally kids help measure, pour, stir/mix (we have a mixing song that we sing so everyone gets a turn). There are kid-safe knives that they use sometimes with 1:1 supervision. They also do all the spreading, juicing/squeezing, tearing and mashing (e.g., we made strawberry lemonade and the kids each got a Ziploc baggie with strawberries in it and they went to town pounding and mashing until it was pureed).

As you can see, there are tons of ways to get kids into the kitchen. They won’t all enjoy it, but for those that do, it’s the perfect balance of fun, learning and letting their imagination run wild!

PS. Squish is for sure getting a play kitchen like this one soon. Maybe for Christmas?!

Step 2 Lifestyle Custom Kitchen

Now it’s your turn:

Do your kids help you in the kitchen? What are their favorite ways to help?
If not, I challenge you to #makeyourmove and invite them to help you this week!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Kohl’s.

Thanks to Kohl’s and Fitfluential for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

It’s time for another post in the series I’m doing for the #MakeYourMove campaign! In case you missed any of the previous posts, be sure to check them out here:

• Get Ready To Make Your Move
• A Babywearing Workout
• 5 Food Prep Tips For Beginners
• Thai Chicken Salad
• A Stroller Workout

Today we’re switching gears from fitness and talking about back to school season. Although Squish is not in school yet, I know that these first few weeks can be super stressful for both parents and kids.

I reached out to some of my mom friends on Facebook and asked them to share the most stressful part of back to school season for them. I got a lot of great responses but immediately noticed some trends. Most of the responses fell into the following 4 categories:

• The morning rush
• Breakfast
• New schedules and routines
• Paperwork

So let’s take a closer look at each of those areas! Plus I’ll share some awesome products from Kohl’s that can help ease your stress!

Get organized:

Chalkboard Basket
Weekly Calendar
Wall Chalkboard
Hardwood Monthly Calendar

The morning rush was by far the most common stressor. Packing lunches and snacks, getting everyone up, fed and dressed and getting out the door ON TIME with everything needed for the day can be a huge challenge.

Luckily, there are a few ways to make mornings less stressful:

• Pack lunches and snacks at night. Trying to worry about packing lunch in the morning on top of everything else is just an added stress. Get food ready at night and simply transfer from fridge to bag in the morning.
• Get a big bag.  One that is big enough to hold everything you need – paperwork, computer, lunch, workout clothes, etc. Consider packing it up and putting it in the car the night before to save you a step in the morning.
• Write it down. To-do lists on your phone are great, but usually only you can see them. Especially if you have older kids, having a written list of everything they need for the day can transfer some of the responsibility to them to ensure they have what they need before they head out the door. Physically being able to cross things off the list can be helpful. Consider a dry erase board or a chalkboard that you can hang in the kitchen or near the door.
• Designate a space. Whether it’s in the kitchen, in a basket, on the floor next to the front door, find a spot in the house where you can store everything that needs to leave the house with you in the morning. Having a bookcase or shelf with a basket for each person could be very helpful.

Breakfast is another challenging area. Most parents were looking for quick, healthy breakfast options that can be prepared and eaten quickly without turning to junk food or a drive-thru.

Some breakfast tips to consider:

• Have favorites on hand. Breakfast may not always be the time to get kids to try new foods, especially if you’re in a hurry. Know what kids like and will eat most days and always have those on hand. Try new things on the weekends or slower days.
• Stock the freezer. I recently did a round-up for Parade with 9 Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Ideas.
• Do some food prep. If you’re not a fan of freezer breakfasts, there are still plenty of things that you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge or pantry for the week. It could be as simple as portioning some oats into baggies with mix-ins so all you have to do is dump it into a bowl, add milk and stick it in the microwave. You can also bake a batch of breakfast bars and portion into single servings.

Back to school means the end of summer schedules. It may mean earlier bedtimes and spending some time figuring out how to fit homework, sports and family time into a shorter period of time.

To help establish new routines:

• Focus on bedtime. Sleep is so important for kids and getting them into the habit of going to bed at an appropriate time for their new school schedule is crucial.
• Limit TV time. Prioritize homework first so it gets done, then use any remaining time for fun.
• Make family dinners a priority. Busy schedules mean less time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Family dinners are a great opportunity to catch up, talk about the day, etc.

Wall Storage Unit

With school comes a lot of paperwork. There are forms for each new school and school year. If you have multiple kids that can mean double or triple the amount of forms for physicals, allergies, sports registration, etc.

To stay organized:

• Note the due dates. Whenever you get a form to fill out, make a note on your calendar of when it’s do.
• Don’t wait. Try not to let the forms pile up. Take a few minutes each time you get one to fill it out right them.
• File them. Have a designated tray or area to keep all the forms. Consider two trays- one for “to be completed” and one for “all done, ready to file”.
• Ask. Check backpacks to see if kids came home with any forms. Ask them every day if they got anything from their teachers to give to you. Ask the teacher/school yourself if you’re missing any forms.
• Start early. If you know your child has allergies that require special paperwork, start working on them as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute when you’re more likely to be scrambling and forget something.

Now it’s your turn!

Share your best tip to help  #makeyourmove towards a stress-free back to school season! Not a parent? How about a tip for a stress-free morning?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Kohl’s.

Thanks to General Mills for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

As you may know, several months ago I was invited on an (expense paid) visit to the General Mills headquarters in Minneapolis. While I was there, I learned a lot about the company, the way Cheerios are made and some of the changes General Mills has been making to their cereals over the past several years,  including  removing high fructose corn syrup, reducing sugar, and most recently committing to remove artificial flavors and colors from all of their cereals.

In addition to those changes, we also learned a lot about the new processes they were developing to make several of Cheerios varieties gluten-free. Now here we are several months later and the process has been refined, tested and implemented! Five varieties of Cheerios (Original, Honey Nut, Apple Cinnamon, Frosted and Multigrain) are now officially gluten-free. Look for the new gluten-free label on the box!

When my friends at General Mills reached out to me to help them celebrate this exciting launch, I jumped at the chance.

Truth is, I’m a longtime Cheerios lover. My mom will tell you I pretty much lived on them for about 20 years. They were my favorite snack as a kid, my go-to breakfast in high school and hubby will gladly tell you how much money my dad threw away on a college meal plan since I pretty much ate nothing but Cheerios and blueberry bagels during my 4 years of college. And when I was pregnant and sick for several long months, Cheerios once again saved the day.

I was world’s pickiest eater for the first 25 years of my life and Cheerios have always been my go-to comfort food. Fun fact- even now, as a Registered Dietitian and semi-reformed picky eater, I still eat a bowl of Cheerios at least once a day!

Clearly eating Cheerios has always kinda been “my thing”. Recently, however, our house has gained another Cheerio lover.

Squish!

Cheerios were one of the very first solid foods he tried. I actually learned during my visit that Cheerios are specially formulated to dissolve easily, making them a great first food for babies.

When he was about 6 months old, we developed a little morning routine – Cheerios for breakfast. Over the past several months this has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the day. Squish is generally super happy when he wakes up. I bring him downstairs and turn on Curious George while make my own breakfast (oatmeal or Cheerios) and brew my coffee. Then I head into the family room and we eat breakfast together.

When he first started eating solid foods, I put the Cheerios into his mouth. As he grew, I started letting him feed himself.

This is one of my favorite things about Cheerios. They’re a healthy snack AND they’re helping him with his hand-eye coordination. It’s been so fun to watch him go from barely being able to grab one with his fist to learning to quite proficiently pick them up one at a time with his thumb and index finger.

Cheerios have a permanent place in our diaper bag. They go with us to the park, to restaurants, to the gym…and they’ve saved the day on multiple occasions.

As an RD, I’m often asked about gluten-free foods. There are lots of food options out there that do not contain gluten, but due to the foods they’re processed with or the equipment they’re processed on, they cannot be certified gluten-free.  Since Cheerios are made with oats, which are naturally gluten-free, the Cheerios you know and love aren’t changing! They’re just being made via a new process that allows stray wheat, rye and barley grains to be removed from the oats.The only flavor that was reformulated was Multigrain Cheerios and that involved replacing wheat and barley with gluten-free grains sorghum and millet. An added bonus? The price and availability shouldn’t change either!

I love that General mills is taking the necessary steps to allow some of their Cheerios varieties be available as a breakfast or snack option for more people, including the 30% of the population who follow a gluten-free diet.