When your kids were little, did you make fun foods for them?

house_cat · ‎03-09-2010

My friends used to think I was crazy for indulging my kids with fun foods.

For example:

I used a cookie cutter to make fun toast shapes.

I made pancakes in the shape of Ninja Turtles.

I made meatballs into short, stick shapes, so they could dunk in ketchup.

I had a breakfast menu, with funny names and I let them choose each morning.

Frozen pizza and waffles with a little scoop of ice cream were allowed for breakfast.

I had a device that created PB&J pockets out of slice bread.

There were many, many other things that I can't recall offhand rignt now. My friends said I was spoiling them, but to the contrary, they both grew up to be enthusiastic cooks themselves.

Did you do silly, indulgent things when your kids were little?

~ house cat ~

seattlegirl98026 · ‎12-09-2011

My mom used to do things like that. It's one of my fondest memories of her, that she loved us so much. I don't have kids, but I would have done the same thing if I had.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

I don't have any children but I have friends that do and also have grandchildren.

One of the funniest things that still makes me laugh/smile is when they cut up a hotdog to look like an octopus . . . he loves it and everybody is happy!

If you have the time, I think it's a great idea.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

I tried, but my girls were just not into it.

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

No.

My son is like his dad - they both just eat to get energy. Neither one cares much about meals!

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

While I always included my son in the kitchen, and taught him to cook on a basic level, I didn't do the cutesy food thing for him. I think it is fun and creative, but he was never a picky eater, and I just chose to spend time with him actually in the kitchen, baking and cooking with me. I also have seen a lot of those type ideas waste the leftover food, like when cutting a sandwich with a cookie cutter. Seems no one ever wants those leftover pieces and crusts.

I can see, if I have grandkids some day, possibly doing it with them, as I will have more time on my hands, than I did with my own kid.

One fun thing we loved doing, was making reindeer food at Christmas (dry oats and colored sugar mixed together) and spreading it all over the back yard so the reindeer could see the sugar glittering in the moonlight and know where to land with Santa. We still talk about how much fun he had doing that.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@Mominohio wrote:
While I always included my son in the kitchen, and taught him to cook on a basic level, I didn't do the cutesy food thing for him. I think it is fun and creative, but he was never a picky eater, and I just chose to spend time with him actually in the kitchen, baking and cooking with me. I also have seen a lot of those type ideas waste the leftover food, like when cutting a sandwich with a cookie cutter. Seems no one ever wants those leftover pieces and crusts.

I can see, if I have grandkids some day, possibly doing it with them, as I will have more time on my hands, than I did with my own kid.

One fun thing we loved doing, was making reindeer food at Christmas (dry oats and colored sugar mixed together) and spreading it all over the back yard so the reindeer could see the sugar glittering in the moonlight and know where to land with Santa. We still talk about how much fun he had doing that.

This has to be the sweetest thing I have read in a long time, thank you so much for sharing!

violann · ‎03-10-2010

Definitely "toast cookies" (cut out shape w cookie cutter, browned one side, flipped and broke egg into shape in toast, covered pan and steamed until done. and Smiley face pancakes. Also would put a couple drops of vanilla extract into plain skim milk, no sugar, which for some reason my kids LOVED!

PinkyPetunia · ‎03-09-2010

No I didn't do much by way of this. My son wasn't that interested in it and I felt it wasted food by cutting some things into cute shapes.

One thing I did allow was having different foods at non-traditional times, I saw nothing wrong with having leftover pizza or pasta for breakfast, and we liked bacon and eggs (or pancakes) for the evening meal.