Kids Cuisine

Summer is here, and it’s time to think of all the different types of fun things you can do with your family. We have been thinking a lot about different ways we can help others, mostly through the act of cooking for and feeding others. But we had a great idea for how we might be able to help in a new way — What if we had kids of all ages decorate Get Well and Happy Birthday Placemats for the sick children who are at our local Children’s Hospital?

I called the Children’s Hospital in Oakland, and the director of food services told me about that joy that their patients express when they receive cards from other children.

Because I teach cooking classes to children, we spend a lot of our time learning about how to build community through food, cooking and eating together. Why not blend the caring and creative act of art with the nourishing act of eating?

What would brighten up a sick child’s day more than eating a meal served on a beautiful Get Well or Happy Birthday placemat made by another child. Yes, some kids are in the hospital for their birthdays. Why not make it a little better if we can?

We challenge you to decorate and design place mats for sick kids in your community and encourage others to do the same.

• Post our Recipe for Action image (at the top of this post) and our simple instructions on your blog.
• Let us know you will be joining us.
• Place mats should be 10 inches high by 14 inches wide. You can either make your own from blank butcher or construction paper, or you can purchase simple colored ones at any restaurant supply store.
• Your place mat should express a special message, such as “Get Well Soon,” “We hope you feel better,” or “Happy Birthday.”
• Decorate your place mat with your beautiful art work. Remember your place mat has two sides — feel free to paste word search, dot-to-dot and sudoku puzzles, comic strips or collages on one side.
• Say who your place mat is from, and include your age. Feel free to write a little note or say something else about yourself, too.
• Laminate your place mat so that it can easily be cleaned and either re-used or displayed to decorate the room.
• PLEASE take a photo of your place mats and send them to us. We can’t wait to see your work and will be sharing our favorites at the end of August.
• And then send your place mats to your local children’s hospital, of course!

This is an ideal activity for family members of all ages to do together. Or try it with the kids who come to play this summer. But most of all, feel good that you are doing something positive with your children that you can all be proud of. The recipients will appreciate it!