G is for Good Food Experiences

Sometimes the best experiences in cooking with children doesn't involve them doing any actual cooking themselves. Today the threefootcooks household spent the morning on the beach at a nearby town. After swimming, fishing, sand castle building and shell collecting we went to the bakery/ cafe for an early lunch and the traditional ice creams after a beach visit. This bakery is a star find in this tiny seaside town. On the menu was some interesting offerings such as chicken and Harissa sausage rolls as well as homemade pies, burgers, sandwiches, gorgeous blueberry tarts, muffins and lots of other delicious sounding dishes that will ensure a return visit on our part in the not too distant future. I decided to try the veggie burger that had a delicious spinach and ricotta pattie, pumpkin relish, garlic aioli and salad. It's not something I would normally choose so I could talk to Bee and Bear about what was in it and why it is good to eat vegetarian meals. It was very colourful too so we discussed what the different vegetables were and which ones they liked.

The bakery/cafe also makes its own wood fired artisan loaves of bread which I couldn't resist trying. We bought a miche loaf (an old style sourdough bread made on a mix of white, wholemeal and rye flours) which smelt divine and looked just as good. I took the opportunity to make a tomato, ham and lentil soup to have it with. The ham in the soup came from the christmas ham bone I had saved and it turned out beautifully. It paired perfectly with the bread. While making the soup, Bee was interested in what I was doing so I showed her the ham bone and we talked about using leftovers and not wasting food. It was also good for the girls to try a different style of bread compared to the regular supermarket variety we get. Overall a very satisfying meal after a busy day.

I think it is important to talk to our children about food, what we eat and why we eat it as much as possible. Talk to them about where the eggs and milk you are using to make breakfast come from. Talk to them about the importance of not wasting food but also about only eating until you start to feel full. Show them that it is good to try new things. Talk to them about what our bodies need us to eat to be strong and healthy. Don't use words like good foods and bad foods. Try to use everyday foods and sometimes foods. Encourage them to think about food in a positive way so they grow up to be aware of what they need to eat to be a healthy weight.

What do you talk to your child about when it comes to food?