Fun Recipes for Preschool Nutrition

You can teach preschool nutrition by having your children help in the kitchen. Your homeschool curriculum for preschoolers should include some instruction on good food to eat. Besides telling my child about what to eat I like to have them cook breakfast or lunch with me.

Preschool nutrition follows the government nutrition pyramid. For good nutrition eat a variety of food including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Also balance food intake with exercise.

Cooking with Young Children

To find recipes I went to the library. In the children's section I found several books that had recipes that were easy for children to do. My mom also taught me some recipes when I was a child.

Remember when cooking with young children to watch them. Do not let them touch a hot stove or use a sharp knife.

If your child is on a special diet please review the recipes before make it to see if your child is allergic to the ingredients.

Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is a good time to teach preschool nutrition. Have your child make oatmeal. Serve the oatmeal with fruit and milk.

My children like to make Oven Pancakes. Even young children can mix up the egg mixture.

• Oven Pancake
• 3 Tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• Fresh fruit

Place the butter in a pie pan. With an adults help preheat the oven to 425 and melt the butter. Place eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender. Blend until the batter is smooth. With an adult's help Place the egg mixture into the pie pan. Cook 25 minutes. Top the pancake with fresh fruit.

• Scrambled Eggs
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter

Place eggs, cheese, and salt in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Have your child shake the jar. Melt the butter in a pan. Add egg mixture and cook until done.

• Granola Toast
• 3/4 cup granola
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 8 slices of bread

Mix granola and peanut butter. Spread mixture on bread slices. With an adult's help broil bread under the broiler until bubbly.

Lunch Recipes

Lunch is another time to teach preschool nutrition. A young child can help a lot at lunch time. They can make sandwiches. With supervision they can make a lot of other recipes.

• Clown Salad
• 1 pineapple ring
• 1/2 banana
• Raisins for eyes and mouth
• Cottage cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Cheddar cheese for hair

On a plate place some cottage cheese. On top of the cheese add pineapple. Place the banana in the pineapple hole. Make a face by sticking raisins on the banana with mayonnaise. Add mayonnaise on the top of the banana place some shredded cheddar cheese on top.

• Easy Pizza
• 1 English muffin
• Tomato sauce
• Shredded cheese

Split the muffin in half. On each half add some tomato sauce. Top the sauce with cheese. With an adults help place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 until cheeses is melted.

• Tuna Melts
• 1 can tuna
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 8 slices of bread

Mix the tuna, cheese, and mayonnaise in a bowl. Toast bread. Top the bread with tuna mixture. With an adult's help broil the sandwiches under the broiler.

• Monkey Sandwich
• 1/4 cup soft cream cheese (flavor of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 tablespoons banana chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut
• Bread
• Raisins for face

Mix cream cheese, pineapple, banana, and coconut together. Make a monkey out of the bread. Cut the bread into a circle with the pineapple can. Use the left over bread to make ears. Make a face with raisins.

Vegetable Recipes

Vegetables should be part of your preschool nutrition curriculum. Vegetables are sometimes difficult to get children to eat. You can teach your child to like vegetables by having them pick out vegetables to eat. Also let him help prepare the vegetable. If the child does not like the vegetable cooked, server it raw. My child likes raw carrots but does not like them cooked.

Vegetables can be served in fun ways. Make bugs on a log. On celery sticks spread peanut butter. On the top add raisins for the bugs. If your child can not eat peanut butter you can use cream cheesed.

Another idea is make a salad face. On a bed of lettuce add olives for eyes, a cherry tomato half for a nose and a sweet red pepper strip for a mouth.

Use some creativity when you homeschool preschool nutrition. Preschoolers like to eat food that is presented in a fun way.

Stand corn-on-cob on its end for a rocket ship. Make sea creatures out of pears, peaches, and carrots.

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