Kids Cuisine

Two years ago, I hosted my first “foodie” Thanksgiving dinner.  We’d hosted Thanksgiving before, but this was going to be a feast to remember.   I literally spent three or four days preparing a delicious holiday feast that would impress anyone.  By the time the grand moment came to eat, the kids were all crabby and hungry, and they decidedly did not want Mommy’s fancy food.  Dinner was a quick event, as all the children present ate quickly before dashing off to play some more, and as it happens with small children, it wasn’t long before the parents needed to join them.  I learned something that year.  When all is said and done, Thanksgiving is not a holiday that I want to spend in the kitchen while my children celebrate in another room.  There is no point to the holiday spirit if I cannot share that joy with my children and husband.  I have learned that there can be a balance of great food and family time at Thanksgiving.  This year, I want to take that a step further and get my growing children involved.  Here are some suggestions to do just that.

1. Have children help with the table settings.  Give the kids paper, crayons, markers, stickers, etc., and have them make Thanksgiving placemats.   You can cover them with contact paper to make them reusable and washable, or you can use them as a disposable asset to the table.
2. Older children can make place cards.  Regardless of how many are attending your dinner, place cards are always fun.  Give your child a list of names, and have them make cards out of cardstock, embellishing with stickers and paper cutouts.  For an interesting combination of people, let your child decide who sits where.
3. Give your children a food job.  This year my daughter will be responsible for the veggie and dip tray.  She can arrange the vegetables how ever she likes, and we will all enjoy her efforts.  Older children can help toss a salad, mash potatoes, or place the rolls on the table.
4. Children make great servers.  Let your child serve beverages or the pie after dinner.
5. Let a child greet at the door, or take jackets from guests.
6. Involve children as much as possible in the days before.  Let them help clean the house and pick up toys; even though it’s work, they will know that they are helping get ready for a holiday.
7. Children can always help set and clear the table.  For the more adventurous, you could allow your child to come up with a centerpiece.
8. If you have a creative child, you could ask him or her to come up with a poem about Thanksgiving to share at the dinner table.

Regardless how you do it, remember to include your little ones in your Thanksgiving celebration.  It sets the stage for a lifetime of holiday traditions and memories.  The last thing I want is to be missing from the holiday memories because I was too busy concentrating on the food alone.