6 Creative Ways to Make Mealtimes Fun for Kids
As a parent, you’re doing your part to make sure your kids eat right. While it might seem boring on paper, it’s more than possible to make it fun for them. That is why we’ve put together this guide using six creative ways that will ensure you can make mealtimes fun for them and the entire family. We’ve got plenty of ideas that you want to try out as soon as today.
Here’s the thing: mealtimes don’t have to be bland. Yet, you can put a creative spin on it. Let’s take a look at the following list of x creative mealtime ideas right now.
Make It Artful
We know that our parents told us in the past not to play with our food. That old adage is still applicable to a certain extent. Yet, why don’t we make art with our food? This will make the food presentation so much fun for kids. There are so many creative ideas to work with along with various themes like Halloween where you can make “hot dog mummies”.
You can also make it colorful using different fruits and veggies. There’s so many ideas you can work with when it comes to turning food into art. Best of all, you don’t have to be a master chef to pull this off.
Create A Theme Out Of It
Having fish sticks for dinner? Make a “beach-like” theme out of it. Potatoes as the “beach sand”, “seaweed” cucumbers, and even “sunshine” squash. See where we’re going with this?
Kid friendly meals like the ones delivered by Everyplate have plenty of ingredients where you can be able to create something exciting. The customizable meal kits are delivered to your door and they will be perfect for you and the family. No matter what’s for dinner or what the theme might be, make it exciting with stories or something that will make it even more interesting.
Host a Mini Cooking Class
Ah yes, what better way to learn about meal preparation than a “cooking class”? The kids will love getting involved with how their regular meals are made. You as a parent have the opportunity to teach them from assembling ingredients to the meal creation itself. The good news is that it should be seen as a fun experience where family can bond.
One pro tip to keep in mind is creating meals that are safe and simple. Allow them to make their own sandwiches or prepare their own pizza including delicious but healthy toppings like peppers, onions, or different kinds of veggies. Of course, you as a parent should be the one that utilizes the appliances (albeit in a safe manner).
Set Up A DIY Buffet
Imagine putting together a DIY buffet as if it were something you’d see at your favorite restaurant. When it comes to mealtime, putting one together will be an absolute blast. Your kids might even appreciate it as well. One example of doing this is on taco night where you can allow kids to “build their own tacos”.
It can also be an excellent solution for the kids who may be picky when it comes to what they eat. This will give you a chance to provide them with the options they like. Of course, a DIY buffet should also feature healthy options like sliced fruits, veggies, cheese, lean meats, and more. While putting together a DIY buffet can be a bit of a challenge, it will give you a chance to see what your kids really like so you can put together better meal ideas in the future.
Create a Mealtime Ritual
Here’s where you can have more fun. A ritual can certainly be exciting and something kids can look forward to. For example, make Friday nights a pizza party where you and the family can create pizzas from scratch (as opposed to ordering one). As such, you’ll be able to get the necessary ingredients you need to put one together.
Another idea to leverage is a “rainbow dinner”. This is where you can eat foods representing each color of the rainbow. Or it can be a tea party style ritual featuring bite-sized foods that are kid-friendly. Sounds exciting doesn’t it? The point here is that you want to make it more than just food on a plate.
Experiment with New Flavors and Cuisines
There’s nothing quite exciting like trying and experimenting new things. Not to mention, you can make it educational as well. This will give you an opportunity to put together a theme as well. For example, do a “trip around the world” featuring Mexican tacos, Italian pasta, or even Japanese Sushi – which can give your kids the opportunity to acquire a worldly taste of different foods.
It can also be useful for including different fruits and veggies as well. Especially if you are looking for a sneaky but creative way. We get it, there might be some picky eaters in your family that might not like fruits and veggies. However, incorporating it in a small and creative way might get them to realize what they like might be something they might not have wanted in the first place.
Experimenting will also give you another opportunity to see what your kids enjoy. Also, it should give you an idea of what meals can be made in the future using the ingredients included. The point is to mix it up rather than have it be the same old stuff.
Final Thoughts
These six ways to make mealtime fun for kids will be worth trying out. You’re going to love putting your own creative twist on these with the goal of making mealtime fun for the kids in mind. It’s always a good idea to make what seems to be boring quite exciting.
It might start off with a bit of a stumble, but don’t worry about it. Make the necessary adjustments when and where necessary. If you seem like you are onto something and the kids like it, that’s where you can capitalize and put more creative twists on it if you’re getting more ideas.