Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog
With Halloween just around the corner, children are getting all excited about dressing up and getting delightful treats. In your own home, you can make your own Halloween goodies that your children will surely love. Don’t be surprised  if they’d rather not go trick-or-treating since the treats you have at home are more than enough to fill their tummies and senses.
Bento meals originated from Japan but have become popular in many other countries. They are associated not only with taste but more so with their unique food arrangements that are nothing short of aesthetically appealing. Japanese homemakers have been whipping up wonderful bento meals for centuries so why don’t we take some inspiration from them and get creative with our own bento meals?
For homemakers and parents who would want to prepare amazing bento meals for their families, all they’ll need are some basic food containers preferably with compartments, some time, and a lot of creative juices working. This is one way of encouraging children to eat their food with more gusto and excitement. There is actually no limit in the end product as long as imagination is at work.
Bento meals often inspired by Japanese cartoon characters or anime. Characters from comic books and video games are likewise often used. This should not prevent bento makers from being limited by these designs.
1. Observe proper proportion
The ratio of 4:3:2:1 is recommended as pertaining to rice, side dish, vegetables, and dessert. Of course, this can be adjusted to be more suitable for the intended recipient. Children will appreciate seeing common ingredients prepared with a twist.
2. Opt for bright -colored food items
Bright colors are very attractive to children. They are also very nice to work designs on. A combination of vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients in the right color match and contrast produce exceptionally beautiful edible creations.
3. Create designs around a theme
Bento meals designed around a theme produces more cohesive results. Homemakers can choose a different theme everyday to create excitement and anticipation for a child. Children tend to look forward to meal time if they know they have something different to look forward to for the day.
4. Use stencils for patterns and shapes
Not everyone has the hand for creating exact patterns and shapes. With the use of stencils however, cut outs will look very professional and realistic. Some shapes can be cut in random sizes and forms thus using free-hand can also be expected.
5. Avoid soggy food
Bento meals are lunch boxes. The problem with lunch boxes is that  food tend to be soggy when eating time comes because of the need to close the boxes even when they are still hot. It is highly recommended to let food cool before closing the box.
Kids are taught early on to share their things with their siblings, classmates and friends. Whether it’s a toy or food, it’s very important for both parents and teachers to teach them the value of sharing. And one of the best ways to let them learn more about developing this positive trait in a bigger way is to start a fundraising project involving them.
There’s a wealth of information available on the internet about this topic but if you can create your own theme and program, that would be a good start. Normally, a charity project involving food is very popular. You can think about different types of food to prepare but remember to keep your focus on small children. You can also incorporate some games and educational activities to get them more excited about joining the project.
So what food can you serve kids that will be a big hit among them? Cupcakes, hotdogs and cookies are perfect.
You can start this fundraising project by collaborating with some close friends. Your group can include parents of your kid’s classmates and some neighbors you get along with very well. It can be an all-women group or you may include the dads if you like.
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You can start feeding a baby solids when they are between 4-6 months old. Many parent’s enjoy the experience of feeding their toddlers while they are seated in their baby seats. This can be an enjoyable experience however, it can sometimes be difficult to feed toddlers healthy foods. Healthy foods for kids are those with the right amount of nutrients essential for their physical and mental growth. Fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains should all be included in meals so that kids can get enough vitamins and minerals daily. But all these will not fit in their small tummy, and their milk teeth may only be strong enough to chew soft foods. Fortunately there are ways to make foods easily digestible. Below is list of healthy meals that kids will surely enjoy. [Read more…]