Kids in the Kitchen!

Picky eating is a common behavior for many preschoolers. One way to encourage your little ones to try new foods is to give them small jobs in the kitchen. They'll feel proud of their accomplishments and will be less likely to reject food they helped make. They can also practice key skills like counting and identifying foods!

ChooseMyPlate.gov suggests having kids between 2 and 5 years old help with these tasks:

• At 2 years:
• Wipe tables
• Hand items to adult to put away (e.g. groceries)
• Place things in trash
• Tear lettuce or greens
• Rinse vegetables or fruits
• Snap green beans
• At 3 years:
  All that a 2-year-old can do plus:
• Add ingredients
• Talk about cooking
• Scoop or mash potatoes
• Squeeze citrus fruits
• Stir pancake batter
• Name and count foods
• Help assemble a pizza
• At 4 years:
  All that a 3-year-old can do plus:
• Peel eggs and some fruits, like oranges and bananas
• Set the table
• Crack eggs
• Help measure dry ingredients
• Help make sandwiches and tossed salads
• At 5 years:
  All that a 4-year-old can do plus:
• Measure liquids
• Cut soft fruits with a plastic knife
• Use an egg beater

Here's an easy recipe for pizza to get your little one cooking. Enjoy!

Photo by Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters

The Works Pizza

Recipe by: Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters

Serves: 8, 1 slice per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion*
• 1 medium green bell pepper*
• 1 medium red bell pepper*
• 8 ounces button mushrooms*
• 2 medium tomatoes*
• 1 (6-ounce) block mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 frozen or refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough, defrosted
• Non-stick cooking spray
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, no salt added

*WIC approved items

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Rinse and peel onion. Rinse peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes.* Dice onion, peppers, and tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Slice mushrooms ¼-inch thick.
3. Grate cheese.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Transfer vegetables to a colander. Stir in tomatoes. Let sit 3–5 minutes to drain excess liquid.
6. While veggies are draining, shape dough into a 12-inch pizza round. Use your fingers to stretch and spread the dough.*
7. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pizza dough in center of sheet.
8. Mix dried basil and dried oregano into tomato sauce. If using dried parsley, add now. Spread a layer of sauce across dough.*
9. Sprinkle cheese evenly across dough.*
10. Bake pizza until cheese is melted and crust is browned on the sides and bottom, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
11. Add vegetable mixture.* Return to oven and bake until pizza is cooked through, 5–10 minutes more. Remove from oven.
12. Let rest for 2 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 pieces.

*Kids can help with this step!