Kids in the Kitchen

Check Off  Mealtime, Playtime At Same Time! 

Who said you couldn’t play with your food? Getting kids into the kitchen is a great activity to get their creative juices flowing. It’s also a great way to keep them interested in eating healthy, WIC foods. 

Healthy WIC foods don’t have to be boring. In fact, you and the kids can turn their little plates into works of art all with some of your favorite WIC ingredients. Gather up some of your favorite WIC foods (oatmeal, fruits, vegetables and tuna fish) for these fun ideas that will get your kiddos excited to help out in the kitchen.

WIC FOR KIDS: OATMEAL

Oatmeal is a super healthy WIC food. It’s also a super healthy snack. For the first snack of the day. Let your kids help “decorate” a bowl of oatmeal like their pets or animals. These fruits make great faces: sliced bananas, berries of all kinds, apple pieces cut into fun shapes and maybe even a little peanut butter to hold pieces together.  What little one wouldn’t love eating this yummy, healthy creation once they are done. 

Oatmeal is a great WIC food because it’s full of fiber, iron and other vitamins and minerals like zinc.

WIC FOR KIDS: FRUIT CRITTERS

Getting your kids to eat more fruit is easy when you make fruit critters. Slice up some of your favorite fruits and let your toddlers “color” their plate by turning the fruit into fun animals. You can get them started by making a few of your own. It’s also fun to cut fruit into fun shapes using kid-friendly cookie cutters.  

WIC FOR KIDS: VEGGIE PALS

Having a hard time getting enough vegetables into your tot’s stomach? Serve them a plate of green peas that look like a friendly frog.  

WIC FOR KIDS: TUNA FISHY

First, make a bowl of tuna fish, using this great Texas WIC recipe. Then let the little ones help by spreading it on a piece of toasted whole wheat bread. Place another piece of whole wheat bread on top. Let the kids decorate the sandwich into fruit to make it look like a fish. See photo above. Orange quarters, banana slices and berries can all be used to make fun fish faces and fins. Looking for a little more creative inspiration? Check out this recipe idea from Texas WIC.

 Texas WIC is an advocate of getting kids in the kitchen to help in “age-appropriate ways,” and these recipes are a great way to get them involved. For more tips from including kids in the kitchen, check out these tips online.

RENEW YOUR WIC BENEFITS AND REDEEM THEM IN THE SAME TRIP

Next time you visit a WIC clinic to renew your WIC benefits, visit a nearby Grocery Services North store to get all your WIC foods in one easy stop. Grocery Services North locations are located near WIC offices to make it super convenient for clients to get everything they need. 

There are locations throughout Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview areas. Visit online to find a store near you.

Visit our blog for more recipes using WIC foods.