Animal Chips via Family Fun

FIRST: I didn’t look specifically for organic recipes. At this point, I’ll say what you’ve heard me say a million times; almost any recipe can be altered from conventional to organic. When looking for good green recipes to make with kids, look for ones that can be easily altered to make them healthier. Also keep in mind that you don’t have to cook entirely organic, but I suggest making sure you do cook organic when the recipe calls for food items known to be the most toxic.

Fun cooking with kid recipe links:

29 Gross (But Fun!) recipes – really gross, not for the faint of heart. I’m not sure I could make any of them, but then, I’m a food wimp.

Fruit Pizza

Lily Pad Cookies

The Very Tasty Caterpillar

Breakfast Rockets

Spaghetti Bolognaise Face

Zoom has all kinds of fun stuff, such as…

• Alphabet Pretzels
• Fruit Flowers
• Simple Fruit Kabobs
• Granola Bars
• And more.

And just for pure fun - edible birthday cards.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

One of the easiest places to get kids going green is in the kitchen. Kids like most kinds of cooking fun, especially the really fun stuff like baking, blending, and freezing.

If you want to introduce your kids to both green living and cooking skills, here are some easy tips you can follow…

1. Talk about organics: Kids don’t always get organic vs. conventional foods. I’ve been talking about the term organic with my son forever, and I’m pretty sure that now, at age 7, he’s just really getting it. At the store, he’ll ask for organics over non organic now.

To discuss organic choices with a child, my best advice is to keep it simple. Say something like, “Organic means healthier for your body” – “Organic foods don’t have icky chemicals or pesticides in them that can make you sick” – “Organic foods are a smart choice for the planet, like turning off the lights.” These are things that have worked with my son. To explain terms like chemicals and pesticides I’ll say something like, “They’re like really bad germs” which yeah, they’re not, but my son gets germs, so it works. As he’s gotten older, we talk about pesticides and chemicals in a more real manner.

2. Use green cooking tools: Using items like silicone muffin cups, reusable ice pop molds, and food storage containers over plastic wrap provides you with a conversation topic. My son sometimes fights against homemade ice pops, because he wants those shiny boxes of pre-wrapped store treats (badly). We just talk about why homemade is better; less waste, more flavor choices, etc.  Green is sometimes about making hard choices and with my son, homemade ice pops are a hard choice when he wants the store pops so bad, but it’s a good lesson in green.

3. Make it fun and if possible, nature based: Start with the fun green food choices, such as…

• Make some fun candied flowers
• Organic veggie & fruit shapes made with cookie cutters
• Organic smiley bread faces
• Gather non-toxic leaves and make homemade organic chocolate leaves
• Make adorable organic buggy cakes
• 32 Unique Homemade Popsicle Recipes & Ideas

4. Encourage meatless meals: Kids who are given veggies from a young age really do love them and meatless meals are better for the environment. My son was raised vegetarian and he’d rather eat a bowl full of broccoli, a red pepper, or sliced apples than cookies – and I’m seriously not kidding. Tofu is an easy ingredient to work with, and kids like to squish it around. Try some tofu recipes for kids.

5. Grab a good green kid-friendly cookbook

6. Follow basic green cooking practices: Recycle packaging, compost, use the food up, turn the oven off early, and be invested in other basic green kitchen habits. Your child is watching you carefully, make sure he’s seeing you be green.

Have any other great green cooking with kids tips? Tell me in the comments.

[image - Fruitcakes-1 via Flickr]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Another idea is to use a cake pan of course. You can always re-use a cake pan. However, I don’t think it’s the best idea to buy themed cake pans because it’s an extra item that you may only use once. When you consider all the energy that goes into making and shipping dishes it seems insane to only use a pan once.

If you do buy a themed pan make sure it’s one you’ll use again. Maybe one with a variety of designs built in. I like this Backyard Bugs Cakelet Pan from Williams-Sonoma, because I can see using it for lots of occasions – birthday celebrations, easter, a child’s tea party, and more. Your kids will adore this pan too; it makes the cutest little cakes.

Cute, right? It goes without saying that you need to ditch the paper plate and plastic forks as well. To learn more see:

Tableware Made from Veggies!

Say “No thanks” to plastic forks

If your goal is an actual eco-birthday theme check out these great cake ideas.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family