Kids’ Magic Recipe!

Getting kids on the table and the right dish for them is a genuinely difficult task. No wonder kid friendly recipes are easier said than done. More so if it’s a kid or group of kids who seem to have a ‘nose’ for certain things!

But then think over; is it really that difficult? I guess the trick lies in identifying the kid’s general tendency. If that doesn’t work out, then the following could help:

• Try getting the kid involved while in the market and then when the dish is prepared. While preparing the dish speak to him and explain each step so he feels that he is the one who’s cooking. This would hold on his interest till the end.
• Presenting the food in dishes or bowls that are his favourite or resemble cartoon characters.
• Making dishes that are light in nature and easy to digest.
• Use as many fresh seasonal picks as possible.

It may not be possible to generalize menus with kid friendly dinner recipes. More so since the taste, choice, orientation and availability will differ between communities or simply between kids.

Keeping this fact aside we can try working on the following to begin with:

• An assorted fruit platter
• Assorted bread with spreads
• Soup and broth
• Salad platter
• A proportionate mix of vegetables and a non vegetarian item as per choice
• Beverage as per choice (milk, fruit juice etc)
• Dairy products

For any quick and easy recipe you could always begin with the ready-to-eat packets available in the market. A step further you could choose from a range of ready-to-cook packets. Still ahead, you could buy things that don’t need to be cooked too diligently or rather can be eaten simply as fresh food or is rather easy to cook.

Cake recipes for kids’ is another section that makes a lot of us test our creative skills on. I too have been working on this for a while now. Initially it did appear as the highest peach on the tree. But presently I’m quite on a high tide. I just need to have my presentation and cake decoration ideas a little more in place.

I began with practicing the regular basic sponge cake. Once I mastered that, I tried my hands on the recipe using a variety of flavours. Eventually various cake icing and decoration ideas dawned in my mental faculties.

I did make good use of them so far. A little more research should take me ahead! Hope to see you in the same race somewhere there!