School is back in session! Wow, does that look different for everyone all over the world! Whether you homeschool your kids, they physically go to school every day or just a few days a week, providing safe, gluten-free food can really be a struggle.
Now, more than ever is the need for families to be in the kitchen together, creating memories with one another. When I think of lunch (at school or at home) I think of… SANDWICHES!
When we were first diagnosed with celiac disease, I got very anxious thinking about sandwiches in particular. I bought so many different brands of gluten-free bread – sad to say that none of them seemed to be great. It wasn’t until I found Canyon Bakehouse that I lost that anxious feeling. I felt proud to provide my children with safe gluten-free sandwiches and with ingredients that are so much better for them! Gavin (10) & Aliyah’s (8) favorite is the Canyon Bakehouse Country White with mayo, mustard, and ham. Chanelle (7) & Sadie (5) love the Deli White Bagels from Canyon Bakehouse with a little bit of butter.
Since my four children are all school-aged, they are very capable of helping in the kitchen. If you follow me on any social platform, you will know that I am a huge advocate of getting your kids helping! It’s so important for them to do their part in the family. Plus, it teaches them life skills while learning and being given responsibility.
In our home, we implement these three things to help get the kids involved (which also helps me- so I don’t lose my mind!).
3 Ways to get your kids involved in the kitchen
- Each Sunday night, I have my kids pack their lunches for the whole week. We make all the sandwiches, get all the fruit, chips, etc. all bagged up and ready to go. This is a HUGE time saver! It also doesn’t allow my mind to go to a frustrating place each morning while trying to rush out the door.
- Each night of the week, I choose one of my kids to help me with dinner. They help decide on the menu and then prepare the meal with me. This is awesome on so many levels! They are getting one on one time with Mom, learning great skills and it helps my picky eaters know that they get to choose what we’ll eat.
- We experiment in the kitchen. Unfortunately, every meal is not a winner. Yet, we aren’t afraid of making something that isn’t great. We learn from it, and we even eat meals that aren’t our favorite. When dinner has failed – cereal and Canyon Bakehouse toast or sandwiches are always our backup plan! (Honestly, my kids would eat that all day, every day, if I let them.)
These simple ideas are what have changed our gluten-free life! Take the time to get your kids involved in the kitchen. I am so happy when I have my cupboards stocked with Canyon Bakehouse, the ingredients, taste, and shelf life are incredible!
Read more from Carol Barajas at Serving Celiacs!
