Healthy Eating

We started cooking journals this week.  The children wrote their names on the front cover and decorated it however they chose.  L colored, W colored multiple colors all over, and M made chicken noodle soup and a lemon.  On our first page we thought back to Saturday when we made bananas.  We discussed how cutting the banana into sections can give you halves or fourths.  They remembered and explained the fractions to me.  So I had them draw a banana and show me it cut in half.  Then draw a banana cut into fourths.  After doing that, my son asked, “What is it called with threes?”  I responded with thirds and we discussed that with an example and they drew that also.  Later on at lunch we only had one string cheese so I asked them how they could share it.  They responded with, “Cut it into threes.”  So I did and they shared. 

For the lesson this week we talked about healthy food.  I explained that a healthy meal should have a meat, fruit, vegetable, grain, and dairy.  I asked them for ideas of healthy foods and they listed some.  After that they drew a healthy food in their journal.  One of their favorite meals is chicken noodle soup.  I mentioned that and right away my son said, “It has chicken!”

 “That’s the meat.  What else do we put in our chicken noodle soup?” I asked.

 M said, “Carrots!” W said, “Celery!” 

 “Those are the veggies.  What else is in the soup?”

 “Juice!” W replied. (Meaning the broth, so I explained that.) “Noodles!”

 “Yes! So we have a meat, vegetable, and grain.  What else do we need for a healthy meal?” I asked.

 M responded, “Fruit!”

 “Great, so we’ll make fruit kabobs. Now we need dairy.  Hmmm…what should we have for dairy?”

  “Milk,” W said. 

I reviewed the meal with them and they were excited to begin cooking.  For the next few minutes we were discussing dairy and the items that are considered dairy and where dairy comes from. 

We made chicken noodle soup discussing each part again as a meat, veggie, and grain.  Next we made fruit kabobs that I think are my favorite.  They are rainbow fruit kabobs.  So we talked about rainbows and the colors that make a rainbow.  The children used strawberries for red, oranges for orange, pineapple for yellow, green grapes for green, blueberries for blue and red grapes for violet.  As they were assembling the kabobs they were deep in thought about the colors so after they were finished they remembered the colors of the rainbow.  I had my son draw a rainbow in his journal and he even wrote the word rainbow. (M was at grandmas.)

I like the idea of journals because the children write down their ideas and it’s good for recall down the road.  As a parent it is fun to see what they have learned and see how they draw and write. 

So far through this project I have found there is an endless amount of concepts that can be learned through cooking.  It is fascinating for everyone involved and everyone has fun with it.  I can tell the vocabularies are growing in my children through this experience.  Also, they remember concepts from week one.  In a couple weeks we will be learning about Germany through a baking activity. So for next week I need to come up with another plan.