In the Kitchen with Katie Hammill

Katie in her kitchen with daughters Ashley and Ruby. Photo by Tanner Boyles.

Katie Hammill, a certified nutritional practitioner, passionate home cook, local food advocate and nutrition educator, is also mom to Ashley (13) and Ruby (10) and knows firsthand the challenges parents face when trying to get healthy and delicious meals on the table that their kids will actually eat. She shares lots of simple nutrition tips, realistic meals and easy recipes online at katiehammillnutrition. Here she talks about one of her passions: building kids’ exposure in the kitchen to create the foundation of healthy eating.

The kitchen is a place for connection and exploration, and these are skills I want to foster in my kids. Since they were old enough to get their hands dirty in the kitchen, the kids have been part of preparing meals. We have a trusty IKEA step stool in the kitchen, and they would drag around it so they could be part of the action. Stools and kitchen tools that are sized and safe are great ways to make the kitchen more kid-friendly.

The girls started with simple tasks like washing the lettuce or pulling leaves off herbs. Then we moved into measuring or pouring and lastly to chopping and cooking. Both girls could make eggs by the time they were 7 years old. Ruby even turned her morning yogurt bowls into works of art. Exploring in the kitchen involves not only preparing but also plating meals, another great way to build a child’s creativity.

As a certified nutritional practitioner, raising adventurous eaters is a huge goal. I have found when they are involved in preparing the food, they're far more likely to try it and build it into the repertoire of the foods they like. We are quick to label kids as 'picky eaters' but often it's just a way for them to show some control in a big world. You can foster this same independence by involving them in meal preparation. Studies also show that individuals who cook at home are far more likely to be metabolically healthy.

At 10 and 13, the girls can now make complete balanced meals on their own from start to finish. The kitchen might still be a mess, and I might offer a tip or two but to know my kids will head out in the world with a solid foundation of not only how to nourish their bodies, but with the expertise to do it feels like a job well done.