Food and Beverage
Tips for Encouraging Exploration and Learning in the Kitchen
(Family Features) Planning, preparing, serving and cleaning up after mealtimes are skills that can be beneficial to everyone. Yet when it comes to meal prep, many families find it easier to tell children to go play rather than bringing them into the kitchen to help create meals.
“One of the best ways to encourage children to try new foods or simply eat their vegetables is to allow them the opportunity to plan and prepare a meal,” said Emily Hicks, a registered dietitian nutritionist for KinderCare Learning Centers. “Involving children in meal planning, preparation and serving in age-appropriate ways helps give them some autonomy in a world in which they often feel they do not have many choices. This can help reduce stress and food fights at mealtime, creating a more peaceful and enjoyable experience for everyone.”
Meal preparation can also bring certain classroom lessons such as counting and fractions to life as children measure ingredients. It can also be an opportunity for an impromptu science lesson about the parts of plants and animals people eat and the nutritional benefits of healthy foods.
Consider these tips to get kids more involved in mealtimes:
- Choose mealtimes when the family is typically together and make preparation a team effort. Allow children to pick out vegetables or other items at the grocery store (or from the fridge, freezer or pantry) to prepare. Alternatively, if you have a few meal options planned for the week, children can help decide what to make on which days. The key is to empower children to make choices, thus helping develop a sense of responsibility and encouraging variety in food choices.
- Allow children to help wash produce, stir food in mixing bowls, get tools like cutting boards from the cupboard and more. Children can help peel or chop foods or stir pots or pans with adult guidance. Even younger children can assist by using child-safe utensils to peel or chop food, sprinkle toppings, pour dressings or combine pre-measured meal components.
- Children can help place food on the table and serve themselves at young ages. Young children may find it easier to serve themselves by using measuring cups instead of serving utensils. Encourage children to try some of each food on the table but try not to push them to eat anything in particular. Instead, give them time and multiple opportunities to try different foods. If they are able, teach children how to pass food to others at the table and engage in conversation. Sharing at the table can help foster social development and family connections.
- After mealtime, children can help clean up and put things away. Even if they can’t reach the sink, children can help clear items from the table. They can also assist with putting dishes in the dishwasher or ferrying clean dishes to an adult to put back in cupboards and drawers. Additionally, they can help wipe up spills and crumbs, and push in chairs, too.
“The benefits of family mealtime go beyond health,” Hicks said. “Involving your children in your mealtime routines can bring food and fun to the table, creating a sense of belonging that will boost the whole family’s well-being. Remember, you don’t have to stick to a routine 100% of the time to be beneficial. Just do your best to keep routines when possible and practice balance.”
For more tips to help incorporate children into meal planning and preparation, visit kindercare.com.
SOURCE:
KinderCare
Author
Hardcore sports nutrition company debuts epic superfood drink mix, Big Greens, at The Arnold Sports Festival
PORT COQUITLAM, BC /PRNewswire/ — Fit Foods Ltd., a leading Canadian-based sports nutrition company in the bodybuilding and fitness industry for those born different, knows what drives the hardcore. Those who live for the iron—wrapping their hands around the weights, prepping for the set, grinding out the reps, and scaring their best into submission—aren’t content with average. They bring a relentless, hardcore attitude because it fuels their existence. They stand out in the crowd, united by muscle, and they’re hungry for more. MUTANT gets it. That’s why they craft serious supplements and quality apparel with kick-ass purpose, built solely for those who refuse to settle. And now, they’re unveiling their latest weapon: Big Greens, debuting at The Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.
Big Greens is an epic superfoods drink mix that isn’t for the faint-hearted. Big Greens is the greenest greens on the market, engineered to support immune system function, muscle recovery, proper muscle contractions, and a reduction in oxidative stress—because those who live this lifestyle demand more than the basics. Available in two bold flavors, Berry Good and Just Chocolate, it packs a high-dose punch with key ingredients like spirulina, KSM-66® ashwagandha, DE111® probiotic, and over 40 superfoods. This is manufacturer-direct, multi-award-winning innovation from a team that lives the grind just as fiercely as their fans.
“Your mother always told you to eat your greens, so we made the greenest greens out there: easy, quick, and built for you to drink alone or stack with your favorite protein powder. This isn’t some watered-down drink mix — just look at the label — it’s for those who dominate and who push their limits in the gym and beyond,” said MUTANT President and CEO Jim McMahon. “They don’t just train, eat, and sleep—they attack every rep to be their best. Big Greens is built for them and to harness their discipline in a convenient way that also helps with better recovery.”
Fans eager to step up can visit MUTANT at The Arnold Sports Festival, booth 1245, to learn more, sample Big Greens, and enter for a chance to win epic prizes. They can also join a special meet-and-greet with Mitchell Hooper, the 2x Defending Arnold Strongman Champion and Strongest Man on Earth, on Sunday at 10 a.m. Big Greens hits shelves in May 2025, available online and at select retailers nationwide, including GNC stores. Each 10.4-ounce bottle delivers 30 servings of pure intensity, featuring innovative blends like 4,525 mg of Land & Sea Greens Giga Blend, 1,239 mg of Superfood Phyto Blend, 821 mg of Daily Reset Blend, and 725 mg of Pre and Probiotics / Digestive Blend.
For those born different, born hardcore, MUTANT’s got their back. Visit www.mutantnation.com for more on Big Greens and the MUTANT lifestyle.
About Fit Foods Ltd
Fit Foods Ltd, a world-class manufacturer of sports nutrition proteins and other supplements, specializing in powders. Its extensive variety of products and formulas has earned it international recognition for superior-tasting quality products and has resulted in a leading position in the marketplace. Fit Foods brands are distributed worldwide in 70+ countries. Its Canada based manufacturing facilities are GMP compliant, NHP site licensed (#300341), CFIA licensed (4420), US FDA licensed, and Certified Organic by PACS (#16-463). MUTANT is one of the companies most beloved brands.
SOURCE Fit Foods Ltd.
New Zing Zang® Bloody Mary Mix Creates ‘Dill-icious’ Bloody Mary Cocktails
CHICAGO, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As consumer excitement for pickles and pickle-flavored food and drink continues to grow, Zing Zang, America’s #1-selling Bloody Mary brand, has introduced a new Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix.
Zing Zang Dill Pickle is the first flavored variety of Zing Zang’s popular Bloody Mary Mix. It’s crafted with real pickle brine and the same original recipe of seven real vegetable juices, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a blend of bold spices and seasonings.
“We know many people love adding pickle juice to their Bloody Marys, so we made it even easier with Zing Zang Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix,” says E.G. Fishburne, VP of Marketing at Chicago-based Zing Zang. “If you like Bloody Marys and you like pickles, you’re gonna love this. It tastes so good, the vodka is optional!”
Zing Zang will be introducing fans of pickleball to the new Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, at the end of April. “Zing Zang was the first sponsor of the U.S. Open back in 2016, and we’re more excited than ever to bring our Bloodys with a big punch of pickle to pickleball’s legendary Zing Zang Championship Court,” added Fishburne.
In addition to the original Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix and the new Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix, the Zing Zang Bloody Mary portfolio also includes Zing Zang Blazing Bloody Mary Mix, a hotter and spicier version of the original mix, and a line of ready-to-drink pre-mixed Bloody Mary cocktails made with premium vodka in cans and party-sized bottles.
Zing Zang Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix will be available across the country at grocery retailers, wine and spirits stores, and is available now for purchase online at Amazon.com.
For more information, visit ZingZang.com or follow Zing Zang on social media.
About Zing Zang:
Zing Zang® is the leading Bloody Mary brand and a top non-alcoholic cocktail mix brand in the U.S. Renowned for its premium-quality mixers, Zing Zang offers a wide range of products, including the best-selling Bloody Mary Mix, Blazing Bloody Mary Mix, Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix, and an authentic Michelada Mix. Zing Zang also has an “amazing” line of mixers that includes Classic Margarita, Mango Margarita, Strawberry Margarita-Daiquiri, Sweet & Sour, and Piña Colada—all made with real fruit juices and naturally sweetened without high fructose corn syrup. Expanding beyond mixers, the brand has launched a line of ready-to-enjoy prepared cocktails, featuring Zing Zang’s award-winning mixes paired with premium spirits. The lineup includes Bloody Mary, Blazing Bloody Mary, Classic Margarita, and Mango Margarita. Founded in 1997 and based in Chicago, Illinois, Zing Zang products are available nationwide in over 300,000 retail and on-premise locations. For more information, please visit ZingZang.com.
SOURCE Zing Zang, LLC
(Family Features) If your idea of street tacos includes standing over a hot skillet, wipe that sweat off your brow and give these Savory Street Tacos a try. They put the slow cooker and oven to work for you, providing that delicious street taco taste without the hassle. For more ways to simplify cooking at home, visit Culinary.net.
Savory Street Tacos
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 1 chuck roast (2-3 pounds)
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 can (10 ounces) beef consommé
- 16-20 street taco tortillas
- 1 package (8 ounces) shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- salsa, for serving
- guacamole, for serving
- queso, for serving
- Cover chuck roast with taco seasoning then place in slow cooker. Pour beef consommé over roast and cook on low 6 hours to braise.
- Heat oven to 425 F.
- Use fork to shred roast.
- Brush outside of tortillas with avocado oil and fill with meat and shredded cheese. Place in casserole dish and bake 10-15 minutes until tacos reach desired crispiness.
- Place on tray and serve with salsa, guacamole and queso.
Tip: Recipe can be doubled for large crowds.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
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