Is there anything better than coming home after a long day from work or school and cooking a nice hot meal for you and your family? Cooking is an enjoyable experience for people of all ages; however, errant planning and rushing to complete your meals on time can make cooking more frustrating than gratifying. Cooking together as a family, whether you do it with your spouse or your children, is a great opportunity to strengthen familial bonds and improve healthy eating habits. So shut off the television, pick up a spatula and get cooking together! Here are three ways you can make cooking a more enjoyable experience for you and your family:

Put A Plan in Place

Everything works smoother when things go according to plan. You wouldn’t plan a cross-country road trip without having an idea of where you’re going or where you’ll stay, so don’t take that same mindset into the kitchen with you. Keep your family’s favourite recipes in your phone or your wallet so you can access the ingredients in case you head out on spontaneous trips to the grocery store. For families with kids that are picky eaters, an option such as pierogies offers an unlimited choice of fillings that are certain to delight even the fussiest eaters.

Encourage Your Children to Cook with You

You need to encourage your children to get involved in the cooking process. Firstly, its best to start when your kids are young; cooking is a tremendous skill to learn while young so that kids will have a basic understanding of how to plan and prepare meals. The tasks that they complete in the kitchen do not need to be complicated; instead, give them tasks that are simple & fun. Start them off by having them mix ingredients or prepare a salad and introduce them to more complex cooking procedures like using the deep fryer or making dough for your meals.

Remember to Stay Creative

Nothing falls out of favour faster than a boring, old dinner routine. If you have chicken dinners 3-4 days of the week, your family may begin to grow tired with their meals and not look forward to sitting down with the family to eat. One way to stay creative is to choose unique dinner themes each week! The options for you are unlimited; for example, with Halloween just around the corner, you can make ‘spooky dinners’ that will entertain and excite your family before dinnertime.

Having a sit-down, family dinner is important in establishing a great family dynamic. It is a wonderful time for you to catch up and engage in good conversation and laughter. Make family dinners more enjoyable for everyone by creating & putting a plan in place, encourage your family to join you in the cooking process, and always remember to stay creative! At Yo Baba! We prepare all our ingredients fresh to ensure that you’re always satisfied with your breakfast, lunches and dinners! Contact Yo Baba today for more information!