Thanksgiving can be a nightmare for parents of picky kids. We’re planning on sharing the day with another family this year but it almost didn’t happen. “Well, I’m not sure if it’ll work,” my friend admitted over a text message. “I mean, my kids are so picky! I don’t want you guys to be offended.” …
How to make chocolate acorns
If you’ve got bigger kids, this is the sweetest Thanksgiving treat you can make together. Bonus, a collection of these would be gorgeous on top of a frosted cake. What you need to make chocolate acorns Hershey’s Kisses Mini Vanilla Wafer cookies (or mini Nutter Butters) Mini Chocolate chips Chocolate chips, melted How to make…
The Healthiest Way to Say Happy Thanksgiving: A Turkey Vegetable Platter!
With all the rich and sweet food served on Thanksgiving, I love setting a huge platter of vegetables out early in the day for kids (and you know, adult guests) to snack on. We’ve been shaping the whole thing like a Turkey every year, and every year, the kids squeal. That’s a pretty easy win….
3-Step Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pilgrim Hats for Thanksgiving
If there’s an easier Thanksgiving food craft to make, you’ll have to convince me because these 3-Step Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pilgrim Hats are the simplest treat we’ve ever done. Seriously. I made one, then went to check on our chickens outside (they’re new to the coop after spending a month in the garage.) When I came…
Chocolate Turkey Pretzel Sticks
What do your kids do on Thanksgiving day? I like to put mine to work with food crafts that keep them in the kitchen, but not quite under foot. I’ve been looking on Pinterest for inspiration and of all the Thanksgiving projects we’ve tried, these chocolate turkey pretzel sticks are the best combination of easy…
2 Thanksgiving Traditions We’re Starting While the Kids are Young
We have four small kids and the biggest one is six. This will be the first year that all of them eat solid foods. So, our holiday traditions are evolving our family grows. But even though they’re still small, we’re starting two traditions this year. In fact, we’re doing it because they’re still small. Tradition 1:…
Our Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Menu Plus Activities and Snacks
IT’S OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING AS A FAMILY OF SIX. And since our brood now includes four kids under the age of six (including one under six months), we’ve got a game plan for Thursday. And two grandparents in town to help. Here’s what’s in store: WEDNESDAY Pick up and prep the turkey. We’ll be brining…
Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce Your Kids Will Gobble Up
“Can we make those cranberries again?” my five-year-old asked the other day. Noting this was a request for fruit (right?) rather than say, bunnie-shaped crackers, I dove right in. “Oh, the muffins?” I guessed remembering how many batches of these low-sugar cranberry oat muffins we made last year, totally congratulating myself on baking something so tasty…
easy-to-make owl crackers
MAKING DINNER WITH ANTSY KIDS UNDER FOOT is hard enough. But making Thanksgiving dinner with kids playing chase through the kitchen? That’s the kind of stress me and my pre-ordered, free-range, organic turkey just don’t need. What we need is wine a simple kid’s activity. If you’re looking for a keep ’em busy project that also doubles…
Mark Bittman’s Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Bacon
This recipe is excerpted with permission from “How to Cook Everything Fast” by Mark Bittman. This soup has it all: It’s sweet, colorful, and creamy and even features the smoky crunch of bacon on top. The most time-consuming thing about preparing squash is peeling and seeding it. INGREDIENTS 8 slices bacon 1 medium butternut squash…
simple sweet potato walnut muffins
When it comes to sweet potato recipes for kids, these muffins are elbowing their way to the top for two reasons: You don’t have to bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time, and they’re full of protein-rich nuts. Easy and nutritious? Two of my favorite things. Throw in a specially shaped pan and how can…
even easier maple roasted acorn squash
I ONCE POSTED ABOUT ROASTED ACORN SQUASH and how my four-year-old declared it “the best in the whole wide world.” Awesome yes, but at the time the other two rascals wouldn’t even try it. Well I have good news. Not only do all of them devour squash now but they say things like this. “I don’t…
sauteed swiss chard with garlic & lemon
I KNOW. YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE THIS. And you’re probably SURE the kids don’t. But they just might! Ours do, and I’m as amazed as you are. This Swiss chard recipe is based on one of our favorite side dishes from Italy, bitter greens sauteed in olive oil. The kids love it. Plus there’s…
bread machine whole wheat rolls with yogurt & oats
WELL, WE DID IT AGAIN. And I actually can’t believe it. After a week that included 1-2-3 then 4 and 5 different household members succumbing to the nastiest little tummy virus in the South, we had another dinner party this weekend. It sounds counterintuitive (and a little crazy) but the house needed a good scrubbing…
it’s turkey time! our new favorite nut-free cheddar & cream cheese ball
DID YOU KNOW MOST CHEESE BALLS INCLUDE NUTS? And all sorts of spicy ingredients? At least the recipes I found do. This was a problem because two forces aligned this week: it was our turn to take the preschool snack and my former Martha Stewart Omnimedia alum, Michelle Buffardi, has an adorable new book out…
Roasted whole carrots with maple glaze
JUST IN TIME FOR EASTER BUNNIES EVERYWHERE, we’ve got a fun take on carrots. The good news is, it’s super simple. The great news is, the kids like ’em too.