What’s this? A cooking (and crafting) class for kids??
Yes!
I am bringing my two loves together for the first of what I hope will be monthly kids cooking and crafting classes. Can I get a “Woot! Woot!” and a “Yippee!!”
The Backstory:
I know I’ve been awfully quiet on this blog as my non-crafting life has been getting exponentially busier but … that’s all about to change. Starting with this class.
As you know I love to make things with pretty paper. Despite my cone of silence on the blog, if you have been following me on Instagram or Facebook then you know I’ve still been crafting. And recently I added a new passion into my routine – healthy eating!
In September of 2018 I joined Epicure’s Epic Life Challenge in an attempt to finally do something about the ridiculous amount of weight I’d put on since the birth of daughter #3 in 2009. I had such amazing success on the scale that I signed up for the next challenge. And that was when I realised my successes OFF the scale were making this new way of eating so enjoyable and easy for me to follow.
Yes, you read that correctly. I said the diet was enjoyable!
Shortly after Christine was born, I started having serious and constant gut pain, bloating, and other discomforts that were interfering with my ability to get out and enjoy life. I soon diagnosed myself as being Lactose Intolerant and cut out as much dairy as I could. That resolved about 50% of my issues but I was still suffering from more digestive discomfort than I felt was normal. The doctor lumped me into that ambiguous category called “Irritable Bowl Syndrome” which is really their way of saying “we don’t know exactly what is affecting you, or why, or how to treat it, but take a probiotic daily for the rest of your life and lose some weight, that might help”.
Um, thanks!
After three months on the Epic Life plan, eating fewer carbs and making sure those were whole grains, eating more protein and making sure it was lean protein, eating way more vegetables than I ever though possible, drinking 8 glasses of water a day, trying to move my body more, and trying to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, I realised that 90% of my IBS symptoms had disappeared! (Along with over 20 pounds and 16 inches!) Through Epicure’s plan I was incorporating a lot more of their products into my diet and the diet of the rest of my family. As their products are all Gluten Free, Nut Free, Low in sodium, Low in Sugar, and don’t contain anything processed or “fake”, my body was slowly being detoxed without having to go through one of those painful cleanses!
I felt that I had to spread the word so I signed up to be an Independent Epicure Consultant and share the Good Word to my fellow humans. You in other words!
Which brings me back to this cooking class … what’s that saying? Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll never go hungry again?
Well … serve a picky child dinner and a) you’ll likely deal with eleventy billion complaints about it first, then b) they’ll eat for a minute and demand snacks every 30 minutes thereafter!
Teach a child to cook and when they move out you won’t have to worry that they will starve to death! LOL!!
In all seriousness, when the kids get involved in the kitchen, in the choosing of menu items for the week, in the meals you are preparing, and in the clean up after, they gain an appreciation for more than just the work that you do every day to put food in front of them. They gain confidence in their abilities, control over what they choose to put into their bodies, and life skills that (and I’m not being melodramatic here) will keep them alive as they mature into adults!
Epicure’s products are designed to be both super easy to use AND super tasty. In the cooking classes I hold for adults, we typically make meals in 30 minutes or less. Raw to Ready in 20 minutes or less is what Epicure believes in (I add those 10 minutes for my classes because I tend to talk a lot and we all get distracted – LOL!) Most children I know don’t have the patience or attention span to focus on something for longer than 20 minutes (5 minutes if it’s my youngest!!) so I have designed this class to be quick, fun and delicious.
When and where is this cooking class?
My house (address in the registration form – link is below)
Wednesday July 24th from 11:00 – 1:00
If you can’t make that day and time please don’t panic. Like I said at the top of this post, I am planning to make this into a regular event. Alternatively, we can do this at your house on a day and time of your choosing. As an added bonus, for hosting it yourself, you will receive hostess benefits* in the form of credits to purchase Epicure products for FREE or HALF PRICE.
*You will need a minimum of 5 registered and paid children in order to receive those hostess benefits.
What we’ll be making:
- Mini Beef Taco Salads (in tortilla bowls)
- Guacamole and Nacho Cheese Dip (with both veggies and tortilla chips for dipping)
- S’mores Chocolate Pudding Cups
- An Art Journal or Traveller’s Notebook to take home and put their favourite recipes in, summer doodles, or memories of summer fun
What they’ll be taking home:
While we will be eating the fruits of our labour for lunch, each child will go home with the following items and my dearest hope that they show you how to make everything in your own homes:
- Epicure’s Good Mexican. Real Fast Meal Kit (Makes 40 meals, with an average meal cost of $3.36/person. Includes: Poco Picante Salsa Mix, Fajita Seasoning, Guacamole Dip Mix, Nacho Cheese Dip Mix, Gift Box & 5 Recipe Cards.)
- Epicure’s Spice Spoon
- One package of Epicure’s Taco Seasoning
- One package of Epicure’s Chocolate Pudding
- One completed Kids Art Journal/Traveller’s Notebook
What I’ll be teaching them in the kitchen:
We will talk about many things as we work side by side to prepare our lunch but here are a few of the topics we will cover:
- Food Safety (the importance of hand washing, and about touching raw meat and then not touching other things for example)
- Knife Safety (proper grip and how to avoid cuts)
- Nutrition and fuelling our bodies so we can last until the next meal without getting ‘hangry’
- The importance of trying new things or trying things more than once
- Cooking from scratch vs buying fast food or processed/pre-packaged meals at the grocery store
What ages is this class for?
I am catering this class for those kids ages 10 – 12, but am also developing a class for those ages 13 – 16 (stay tuned for details or contact me at 778-232-4564 if you’re interested).
If you have two or more children who fit that age category I will happily accommodate them and you will not receive duplicates of the Epicure products (except maybe the pudding because it’s so good you’ll want more than one pack!)
What is the cost?
This class is a $50 non-refundable fee up front. That includes all your Epicure products, all craft supplies to make the Art Journal, and my time.
How can I pay?
At time of registration you will need to pick one of the following methods of payment: credit card, e-transfer (to alison@alisondaydesigns.com), or give me cash. Again, this is an up front payment as I need to order the supplies well in advance of the class to insure they arrive on time. If you are unable to make it for whatever reason, you will still receive all the Epicure products plus a kit of crafting supplies (including instructions) for your child to make the Art Journal at home.
What do they need to bring with them?
Nothing really. If they own an apron (or can borrow one from you) that could be good to keep clothes clean. If you think they likely won’t finish their lunch then please pack a container so they can take leftovers. I’ll provide water to drink so they don’t even need a water bottle! When it comes to making the craft, we will be sharing my tools and learning about patience and taking turns. If you own a paper trimmer and feel that it would be okay for them to borrow it for the afternoon (I understand too if that’s a big ask – I’m pretty attached my crafting tools) then please send it so we have shorter lines for mine. But again, they don’t NEED to bring anything except an open mind and a good attitude!
How do I register?
Please fill out this form and I will contact you for payment information.
I’d love to have your child join me! I am excited to share this life skill with them!
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