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Press Releases

December 8, 2005

Contact Name:	Tracie Boruta
Contact Email:	Tracie_Boruta@chi.bm.com
Contact Phone:	312-596-3521

The Wheat Foods Council Encourages Families to Invite Kids into the Kitchen this Holiday Season

PARKER, Colo. – The Wheat Foods Council encourages families to invite kids into the kitchen this holiday season. Whether helping to prepare a holiday feast or putting the finishing touches on festive sweets, bringing children into the kitchen can create meaningful holiday memories that will last a lifetime.

“Food has a way of bringing people together. So many of our holiday events revolve around the meal,” said Marcia Scheideman M.S., R.D., President of the Wheat Foods Council. “Bringing the kids into the kitchen is a great way to introduce them to the culinary arts, provide them with important nutritional information and begin holiday traditions for generations to come.”

The Wheat Foods Council offers these suggestions for starting family cooking traditions during the holidays:

Choose recipes that are easy to prepare, but require a variety of ingredients and steps allowing each child to contribute in a few different ways. Consider holiday staples such as decorated cookies and fresh-baked whole wheat dinner rolls.
Prepare all measuring/cooking utensils and ingredients in advance. Create stations for each of the kids, complete with their assigned ingredients and tools. And for a special touch, use festive glitter glue to personalize plain white cooking aprons with the children’s names.
Deliver tidbits of nutritional information on the vitamins and food groups associated with the recipe’s ingredients. For example, let them know that the white flour used to make the cake is a member of the grain family, and enriched with important B vitamins and iron, or that the whole wheat flour included in the cookie recipe adds fiber and other nutrients.
Talk to them about the math involved in the making of the dish. Measure out the ingredients, count the number of eggs, crackers or olives needed, and the amount of required cooking time.
Remember that safety comes first. Remove all sharp objects, such as knives, before the kids enter the kitchen. Use plastic dishes and utensils whenever possible. Keep children clear of the oven and remind them that the oven itself and anything on or in the oven is extremely hot.
Tell favorite family stories or encourage the kids to talk about school, their hobbies, favorite foods or what they like most about the holidays.

“Grain foods are a delicious part of the holiday season, and since kids love participating in holiday festivities, they'll be eager to take part in the preparation," said Scheideman. "Bringing kids in the kitchen can help them equally enjoy learning new skills, cooking and eating their favorite foods.”

The Wheat Foods Council provides the following recipes for a fun holiday treat.

ICE CREAM MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups vanilla ice cream (or peppermint flavored for a holiday twist) melted
3/4 cup cinnamon, chocolate, or peanut butter chips, or combination
10 mini candy canes

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Measure dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir in ice cream just until flour is moistened. Stir in chips. Spray muffin cups with non-stick spray and fill cups 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Place a mini candy cane in the top of each muffin to add a holiday touch.

Servings: Makes 10 muffins

One serving provides approximately:
187 calories; 4 g protein; 29 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 7 g fat; 14 mg cholesterol; 31 mcg folate; 1 g iron; 427 mg sodium (mini candy canes or other holiday toppings not included)

WHOLE WHEAT RAISIN COOKIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat all ingredients until well mixed, occasionally scraping the bowl. Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1-inch apart, on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove cookies to wire racks; cool. Have the children decorate brown paper lunch sacks with festive ribbons and stickers, place several cookies in each bag, and encourage the children to give them to friends, family and teachers.

Servings: Makes 36 cookies.

Each cookie provides approximately:
71 calories, 1 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat (O g saturated fat), 1 g fiber, 12 mg cholesterol, 2 mcg folate, 0 mg iron, 77 mg sodium.

Source: Wheat Foods Council

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