“Frugal Fu” is Grey, a single mother in her late 20s.
Just to keep a tight budget and watch the money.
That also means that she has to find ways to have fun with her kids without spending too much money; preferably without spending any money at all.
One of her excellent ideas is to cook together.
Cook together. We spend time together preparing dinner in the evenings. This is one of the ways I try to spend time and simultaneously educate my children (they should be young men who can cook!). It’s always hectic when we first come home, so I find that giving everyone a task helps them to feel involved, and also makes them more likely to enjoy dinner. ;) My oldest can prepare food on the stove (with guidance), and my younger sons (7 and 5) can help stir, pour, and pat (they have a personal fascination with bread dough). Younger children can “play along” on the floor with a pot and spoon. It’s also a good idea to eat together. No, this doesn’t happen every night in my household – but I try to do it when we can.
Initially this might sound like a lot of pain. “I will get slowed down” or “it will be a constant struggle to have them prepare something sane.”
The good parts are of course that your children will grow up learning how to make their own food. This will make them better partners in relation, teach them healthy eating habits and learn them the value of money.
Also, everyone will have a specific task to perform precisely at your busiest time; this will really help with all those strange interruptions…
Researchers at Columbia University studied how this cooking pattern affects a child’s eating habits.
They found that those who cook their own food or participated in making the meal were more likely to ask for similar healthy food in their school cafeteria. They also found that children were difficult teachers started to ask for second servings.
Finally, they were also more willing than other children to try different foods.
Frugal Fun with Children [via Smart Spending]
See also: 6 Food Mistakes Parents Make and Rachael Ray Wants Kids in the Kitchen
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