Parents as Teachers Home Visitors had a “Food for Thought” Group activity on Friday, January 20 with some of their families. Participants were provided with all the ingredients needed for a Chicken and Dumplings Crockpot recipe. The group joined the Home Visitors via zoom with parents and children at their homes in the morning ready to make that night’s dinner.
As the parents and kids prepped the food, mixed ingredients, and reviewed the parts of the recipe that would be added later in the day, the Home Visitors and participants discussed how picky eaters can be encouraged to try different foods. They shared tips for nutrition and viewed a YouTube Video of a parent and child interaction that supported their discussion.
Each food box had a “surprise” food item included, a Red Kiwi. Parents peeled and cut the Kiwi into small bites and the children were encouraged to hold, touch, smell, squeeze, kiss, lick, touch to their teeth, and taste it if they wanted to. All tried it and liked it.
After the zoom meeting with instructions about the steps needed to complete the meal, the parents and kids continued to prepare for the needed additions later in the day. Some ingredients were mixed and the recipe was reviewed. Once the chicken was cooked they removed it from their crockpot and shredded it. Later they added milk and cornstarch to thicken the mixture, and about an hour before serving, the dumplings were added.
Families reported that they enjoyed the meal, want to have another Group cooking event, and one family invited their grandparents to share in the evening meal.
