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SHARED By: Koren Feinstein, Chef at Kitchen Little Cooking School

Having an extra set of hands for your Thanksgiving prep is helpful, even if those hands are little! Include your child in the Thanksgiving preparation, keeping them engaged and interested in the upcoming holiday!

• Have the children make a cornucopia “centerpiece,” including fruits and vegetables that you are cooking with.  It is a good way to get the children excited about food and introduce veggies and fruit in a fun way.
• Children love to help wash food and children of any age can mix.
• Older children can make easy appetizers that don’t require baking, like the Turkey Tracks. Get them excited about the turkey and the “paw print.” This is an easy, healthy appetizer that they can just assemble.
• Kids enjoy shaking and sprinkling spices and herbs (use a powder duster for an easy way for kids to handle)…they can do this with the turkey and be a part of adding extra touches to stuffing and other side dishes.
• Encourage the kids to taste while you’re cooking (as long as it doesn’t include raw eggs or uncooked meat, etc). They love to be a part of the creative process. Remember: Recipes are just suggested ratios of ingredients, so if your child gravitates toward one specific ingredient after tasting, feel free to add more. After all, these are our future CHEFS!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!