Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Sunday, 30 June 2024

Teaching Young Children to Safely Help in the Kitchen

The kitchen can be a wonderful place for children to learn essential life skills, foster creativity, and spend quality time with family. 

My specialty was making flapjacks, my brother's was shortbread and my wife, as her mother was a professional chef running her own business, she was a proper under chef!

Ensuring the safety of children in the kitchen is absolutely paramount. 

Here’s a guide to helping your young ones navigate the kitchen safely and enjoyably, along with a few simple recipes they can make under supervision.

Safety First

Establish Ground Rules:

Always wash hands before handling food.

Keep fingers away from sharp objects.

Stay away from hot surfaces and appliances.

Clean up spills immediately to avoid slips and falls.

Child-Friendly Tools:

Use plastic knives with serrated edges for cutting soft items.

Opt for lightweight, non-breakable bowls and utensils.

You can buy proper child-proportioned kitchen tools, should you wish.

Invest in a sturdy step stool to ensure they can reach the counter safely.

Supervised Zones:

Designate a specific area where your child can work, away from the stove and sharp objects.

Keep frequently used items within their reach to minimise the need for them to stretch or climb.

Education on Appliances:

Teach them the basics of kitchen appliances but emphasise that only adults should operate the stove, oven, and sharp utensils.

Introduce them to safer appliances, like hand mixers or blenders, and always supervise their use.

Simple Recipes for Little Chefs


1. Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 apple

1 banana

1 orange

100g grapes

1 tablespoon honey or lemon juice (optional)

Instructions:

Wash all the fruits thoroughly.

With adult supervision, peel and chop the apple, banana, and orange into bite-sized pieces.

Halve the grapes if they are large.

Mix all the fruit pieces in a large bowl.

Drizzle with honey or lemon juice if desired and mix gently.

Serve immediately.


2. No-Bake Cereal Bars

Ingredients:

200g rolled oats

100g honey

50g peanut butter

50g dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.)

50g nuts or seeds (optional)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats and dried fruit.

In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the honey and peanut butter for about 30 seconds until they are easy to mix.

Pour the honey and peanut butter mixture over the oats and fruit.

Stir until all the dry ingredients are well-coated.

Press the mixture into a lined baking tin, flattening it with the back of a spoon.

Refrigerate for at least an hour until firm, then cut into bars.


3. Mini Pita Pizzas

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat pitta breads

200g tomato passata or pizza sauce

200g grated cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or a mix)

Assorted toppings: sliced olives, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cooked chicken, etc.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4).

Lay out the pitta breads on a baking tray.

Spread a thin layer of tomato passata over each pitta.

Sprinkle grated cheese evenly on top.

Let your child arrange their choice of toppings on the pitta pizzas.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.


Tips for Encouraging Kitchen Involvement

Make it Fun: Use cookie cutters for fun-shaped sandwiches and fruits.

Praise Effort: Always commend their hard work and creativity, regardless of the outcome.

Be Patient: Allow extra time for tasks and expect a bit of mess. It's all part of the learning process.

Lead by Example: Demonstrate tasks and proper techniques, showing patience and safety.

By integrating children into kitchen activities, you not only teach them invaluable skills but also create lasting memories. With the right precautions and simple recipes, your young chefs will soon develop a love for cooking that will last a lifetime.

Sunday, 6 August 2023

Aldi has healthy snack ideas for your summer holidays!

No summer holidays car journey is complete without some serious snacking opportunities and Aldi’s Organic Mamia range is perfect for those on-the-go bites. 

For a sweet flapjack style treat, shoppers can pick up the Oaty Bars for just £1.95 (6 pack) with a choice of Strawberry and Apple, Banana, and Carrot Cake flavours. And as there are absolutely no added salt or preservatives, these tasty bars will go down a real treat.

For a crisp style snack without added preservatives, parents can pick up the Tomato Wheels (20g, 55p) and Carrot Puffs (20g, 55p). These are more than ideal for a quick bite.

These organic snacks will make for happy tummies. Don’t forget to keep your children (and yourselves!) hydrated on long journeys without any added sugar with Aldi’s Sun Quench Fruity Blasts (8x200ml, £1.59).

Clean and Clear

Car rides can quickly get messy and when toilet stops are few and far between, parents can prepare with Aldi’s Mamia essentials. For young ones still potty training, no travel bag is complete without the award winning Mamia Ultra Fit Nappies (sizes 4-6+, from £2.99).  Or, for when sticky hands go wandering over windows, be sure to pick up the Mamia Baby Wipes (65p per pack).With 60 wipes per pack, these fragrance-free wipes are formulated for even the most sensitive of skin.

Aldi’s Travelling Checklist:

Travel Magnetic Scribbler, £6.99

Licensed Bumper Stationery Wallet, £4.49

Oaty Bars, £1.95

Tomato Wheels, 55p

Carrot Puffs, 55p

Sun Quench Fruity Blasts (8x200ml, £1.59)

Mamia Ultra Fit Nappies (sizes 4-6+, from £2.99)

Mamia Baby Wipes (65p per pack)

TOTAL: £19.76

 Aldi’s Licensed Products are available in store from 27th July, but shoppers will need to be quick as with all Specialbuys once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Thursday, 20 July 2023

Frankie & Benny's launch their summer hols campaign today

Readers of That's Food and Drink who have school age (or Younger!) children in the families will be pleased to learn that today is the launch of Frankie & Benny’s summer holiday campaign, Fun In The Sun. 

To coincide with the start of the school holidays they're dishing out £250 cash prizes for parents to buy their children fun outdoor activities/leisure so they can enjoy the great outdoors rather than stare at a screen all day. Coupled with the weekly meal discounts all these initiatives are designed to help families over the summer holidays with the cost of living crisis.

Yes, top Italian American themed restaurant Frankie & Benny’s has launched weekly £250 cash prize giveaways for families looking to enjoy the great outdoors throughout this summer.

Just in time for the long school summer holidays Frankie & Benny’s are on a mission to help families facing the cost of living crisis buy their kids leisure equipment so they can have fun in the sun. 

EVERY week there’s a chance to win a £250 prize for the kids. All you need do is sign-up to the mailing list and enter every week! You don’t even need to buy a meal, it’s FREE and is reallythat simple!

This comes on the heels of Frankie & Benny’s announcements of  a special series of summer super saving meal deals helping families and friends enjoy meals out this summer on a budget.

Frankie & Benny’s, the ultimate family friendly restaurant, has already started giving away £250 prizes and will continue throughout the summer, every week until September 5.

Just sign up to the mailing list and you're in with a chance of winning £250 to spend on anything your child likes from a mountain bike to football goals, tennis equipment, a tent, anything to encourage children to get out and about this summer and tempt them away from screen time!

The first winner said: “OMG this is incredible! My son cried when I told him we’d won. We've managed to kit out our whole garden with outdoor activities.”

Frankie & Benny’s Marketing Director, Andreia Harwood, said: “We're really aware that the cost of living crisis is hard on all of us, which is why this summer we're helping out families with special offers and £250 weekly cash prizes designed to help parents pay for outdoor leisure activities. Frankie & Benny’s put our customers at the forefront of everything we do and making sure they can have an amazing summer is at the heart of our summer campaigns.”

Frankie & Benny’s is leading the way helping families dining out during the long summer holidays by introducing deals specially designed to help with the cost of living crisis.

The popular themed restaurant is offering two ‘always on’ summer promotion offers which are available now and until the end of August.

Frankie & Benny’s have also recently launched the new kid’s menu featuring some famous faces in partnership with Cartoon Network.  Whether your little one wants to join Batwheels and the gang protecting Gotham City, or Prince Ivandoe and his loyal squire Bert on a quest filled with adventure, Frankie & Benny’s new activity sheets have it all, adding extra fun to mealtimes. 

Frankie & Benny’s new kids menu has more flavour, more goodness and sure to keep fussy diners happy. Treat them to deliciously crispy Omega-3 rich fish fingers, hidden veg pizza or Frankie's classic pasta & meatballs!

The first Always On offer is a weekday deal available Monday to Friday after 7pm allowing guests to have two main courses of pizza, burgers and or pasta dishes for just £20. This will give a saving of up to £15.

Main courses available include the double bacon cheeseburger with fries, and the creamy chicken and ‘nduja fettucine- both solid favourites with Frankie & Benny fans.

The second deal is designed for family and friends dining out at the weekend. Throughout the summer Frankie & Benny’s is offering two for the price of one main meals all day Sunday, saving up to £21.90!

Dishes include the New York BBQ chicken loaded up with bacon, cheese, onion rings and fries, as well the classic Mac & Cheese (with, or without, bacon!)

Frankie & Benny’s £250 weekly prize giveaway terms and conditions: https://www.frankieandbennys.com/terms

Frankie & Benny’s Always On terms and conditions: https://www.frankieandbennys.com/terms

https://www.frankieandbennys.com

Thursday, 6 July 2023

Kids Eat Free scheme returns to Tesco cafés for school summer holidays

Tesco has announced it will be re-launching its Kids Eat Free scheme to its 310 cafés across the UK over the school summer holidays.

The scheme will run in cafés between the following dates:

England & Wales: Start 24th July – Finish 1st Sept

Scotland: Start 3rd July – Finish 11th August

Northern Ireland: Start 3rd July – Finish 1st Sept

Tesco's cafes will be offering one free Kids Hot Meal Deal, Kids Breakfast or Kids Pick ‘n’ Mix deal with each item bought by an adult from as little as 60p when showing their Tesco Clubcard at the till.

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK CEO, said: “We know the extra costs of keeping children fed and entertained during the long summer holidays can stretch household budgets, so we’re bringing back Kids Eat Free to give our families a helping hand.”

Popular menu items include beans or avocado on toast, fish fingers, baked chicken goujons or a sandwich. Hot main meals include a vegetable side dish, and the sandwich pick n mix includes a piece of fresh fruit and two snacks, so there’s something healthy and satisfying to feed hungry children from breakfast 'til dinner.

Kids Eat Free is just one of the many ways that Tesco is helping families spend less. Tesco has recently announced price cuts on essential products including spaghetti, cooking oil and yoghurt.

Families can also save thanks to Aldi Price Match, which matches the price of hundreds of products to Aldi, including both Tesco own brand products and big brands, and thanks to Clubcard Prices, more than 20 million Clubcard households have access to thousands of exclusive deals on everything from everyday staples like fruit and veg to treats like prosecco or ice cream.