Kid Helpers

It's a little-publicized fact that, although I currently work in a nursing home as a CNA, I attended university for Mathematics Education.  One of the educational theories at the time was the idea that if students helped to form the classroom rules, they would follow the rules.  It was called "the democratic classroom" approach.  Even though I don't teach, I apply some of these ideas in my own home today.  When the kids help make the meal, they're more likely to eat the meal.

Once in a while, my kids will help prepare the meals, which is what we did tonight. 

My daughter chose the menu: Hamburger Helper (generic, obviously), Broccholi and Cauliflower mix, Milk to drink, and Brownies for dessert.  My boys helped to make the brownies: cracking eggs, measuring water, and, of course, licking the spoon.

We made the brownies first because they had to bake for 20 minutes.  I just followed the directions on the box.  We used Pillsbury Family Size (13 x 9), since they were on sale for 99 cents.  I bought three boxes, by the way.  Then we started on dinnner.

First, we thawed a pound of burger in the microwave.  I got mine cheap by buying a 3-pound package when it was on sale and then freezing it.  Each pound in this pack cost me only $1.98.  I browned it in the skillet while we prepared the broccholi and cauliflower mix.  This was exceptionally easy: pour a half a bag of frozen mix in a glass bowl, add garlic salt, black pepper, and two tbsp of butter (or butter substitute) and microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and another 3 minutes.  So simple, an eight-year-old can do it.

I made the "skillet meal" according to the directions on the box, set the table, and removed the broccholi/cauliflower from the microwave using an oven mitt, as the glass bowl was hot.  I've got to say that this is the best way to steam vegetables.  They come out slightly crispy, do not require special kitchen gadgets, and are freakin delicious.  By the time I'd poured the drinks, the brownies were done.  I pulled them out to cool on the stove while we ate our family meal.

The kids ate fast, and before I could pour myself an iced tea, my youngest was asking for seconds.  By the time I'd eaten my food, my daughter had finished off the last of the veggies.  My little one had thirds of the hamburger helper, and even so, the brownies were still warm when I tried to cut them. 

Not that warm, gooey brownies was ever a bad thing.

So, in the end, we had $1.98 burger meat, $1.00 skillet meal, 99cent brownie mix, and $1 worth of veggies.  Technically, I suppose that the milk, butter, salt and pepper, eggs and oil in the brownie mix, etc, put us over $5, but, also technically, we only ate about a fourth of the brownies tonight. 

So far.