School’s Out!
So we’re trying a little experiment this summer… John and I decided to take Jamie Oliver’s advice to heart, and make sure our kids have their cooking skills nailed down. Thus, we’ve decided to give them equal time in the kitchen! To wit:
- Each member of the house will cook 1 full meal per week, on a day of his/her choosing.
- It has to be a balanced, healthy meal, composed of lean protein, veggies/fruits/, whole grains, legumes, nuts, etc.
- It has to be cooked from scratch – no prepared convenience foods (other than condiments).
Believe it or not – neither of them gave us any static over this. Instead, Ryan and Nick whipped out their cookbooks (each has his/her own) and started figuring out what they’d like to make. John took the first “shift” tonight (grilled chicken breasts, brown rice pilaf and steamed broccoli). Ryan’s up tomorrow. He decided he’s going to cook orange-herb chicken, with baked potatoes and Caesar salad (we didn’t try to coordinate menus, so, yes – we’re having chicken two days in a row – but I’m cool with that).
It’s my turn on Wednesday. Haven’t quite decided what I’ll make yet (I’m considering flank steak fajitas or maybe fish). Nick’s up for Friday. She hasn’t decided on what she’ll make yet, either – but she’s debating three possibilities with Ryan.
That doesn’t cover the full week, of course, but we can fill in the blanks with leftovers. We typically go out once a week, too – so there will be no food shortages, methinks.
I think I’m going to like this arrangement. I had to consult with John on the pilaf and marinade for the chicken… and I’ll probably have to work a bit with the kids too, but they should get the hang of it quickly – none of them are strangers to the kitchen, after all. They just need to learn to be a little more adventurous.
June 20, 2010
School’s Out! – http://blog.ultimatefatburner.com/2010/0…
June 21, 2010
That’s a great idea. We let our son, now 23 years old, cook when he was younger. He is very good in the kitchen. He also is thinking about going to culinary school.
It has been very good for him to learn kitchen skills.
June 21, 2010
I agree, what a great idea!
The dishes you mentioned also look pretty tasty!
June 21, 2010
The kids actually do a pretty fair job of cooking for themselves, but left to their own devices, typically focus on quick, single-serving entrees (like turkey burgers or omelettes), vs. full meals. So this will encourage them to improve their skills, try new things and assume more adult responsibility.