Kids & Company Blog

Save Time in the Kitchen – Texture Modification for Different Age Groups!

Believe me, I totally understand how busy today’s parents are. I know when my children were younger I was always looking for different ways to create a few extra minutes in a day. Especially when your children are young, dinner time meals can be a lot of work. Maybe you have a 10 month old baby and a child who is in kindergarten. The textures they are able to eat are at two very different levels. Rather than trying to come up with two very different meals (and taking more time and prep!) for all of your children, you can work on texture modifying the meal you are making so that it is suitable for both children.

I plan the meals on the Kidco Kitchen around this principle. I want all children to be able to enjoy the same menu items, so rather than reinventing the menu for the different stages of development, I work with my kitchens and chefs to modify the textures of the different menu items so that they can be served to all age groups. For example, we love to serve vegetables and fruit on the Kidco Kitchen menu. For our older age groups, we are able to serve the vegetables raw but for our babies and toddlers we make sure to steam and in some cases mash the vegetables so the texture is suitable for whatever age group we are catering to. Things like grapes and round fruits are cut into at least quarters to be safe for our youngest children.

Your blender and food processor will become your best friend if you have a young child at home. If you’re looking to make a puree, remove the skins, seeds, pits, and other inedible parts to the food. Cut it into small pieces and cook until tender. By adding just a bit of water, stock or unsweetened fruit juice as needed you can puree the food item whether it be a pasta dish or a solid fruit. The best part about all of this is you know exactly what is going into the food your child is being served. As your youngest child gets older, you can mash instead of puree the different foods or work on cutting food items into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Believe me, younger children love to mimic their older siblings. They’ll love the chance to feel just like their big brother or sister. Also, you’ll love the fact that you’re saving time in the kitchen!

Do you texture modify food at home for your children? Let me know what meals work best for you and your family @KidcoKitchen.

 

Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica

Chief Food Ambassador

Posted on: Wednesday February 19th, 2014

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica