My girls are great at helping. Anytime I’m in the kitchen, you can bet at least one is asking to help me cook, bake, clean, whatever. If they think there’s action of any kind going on, they feel the need to be in the middle of it.

And I can’t just have one helper. No, that would be too easy. It’s like ants at a picnic; one smells food and the whole army comes for dinner.

Yeah, silly analogy, I know. But at times, it really is like a herd of cattle in my kitchen!

So how do you handle all of the “help,” keep your sanity, and still get done whatever it is that needs to get done?

Get them on your level

I keep a few small step stools in the kitchen so the girls can easily reach the counter when they help me. We also have bar stools, but I don’t always prepare my food there, so they need to have access to what we are making. Get your children on your level to make it easier on you and them.

Give everyone a job

This is probably a really obvious one, but almost every time, I have to remind the girls that they each have a special job. Sometimes it is simply one setting the napkins, one setting the silverware, and the other making drinks for supper. Other times, it is taking turns with ingredients.

Be sure the job is on your child’s skill level. For example, I will let my 8-year-old crack an egg because I know she can do it properly. My 3-year-old on the other hand, would prefer to slam the egg onto the counter or into the bowl, not really understanding that the shell doesn’t taste so good. I also tend to do most of the measuring (since precise measuring is super important!) and let them do the pouring and adding to the bowl.

Give your kiddos directions… specific directions and let them have at it. No, my table isn’t set perfectly, but it is set, and that’s all that matters in this house!

Don’t expect perfection

This is hard for me, as I am a perfectionist, and I love for things to be done quickly, efficiently, and properly. Letting kids in your kitchen is a learning time for all. Remember they don’t come into this with your experience. I have to remind myself of that at times. We’ve had our share of spilled milk (and anything else you can imagine), and while it can be hard to not get really upset, the best thing to do is just clean it up and move on.

Be encouraging

I’ve noticed that when I’m encouraging – as opposed to exasperated – we all enjoy it more and the girls actually learn and act better. After all, the point of having your kiddos help you is for them to learn and to spend time together!

My Reese (age 6) is quite proficient at using my KitchenAid mixer, but only because I let her.  It can be hard at times, but don’t stifle your children when they want to learn something new. Show them the proper way to handle the equipment, help them out until they get the hang of it, and then monitor them until they can handle it on their own. Reese knows what speeds are appropriate and which ones will make flour fly all over us, and she takes pride in being my “mixer”.

It’s okay to say, “No.”

There are some things I’m just not ready for my girls to do yet. Abby Grace begs to put baked goods into the oven. Right now, I am not comfortable with that, because she could too easily be hurt. I let her know why I’m saying no, and that the “no” isn’t forever. For some, the age of 8 might not be too young, and that’s fine. Do what works for your family.

More than anything, let your children know you enjoy having them help you. Even though you don’t move near as quickly, and the finished product might not be as pretty, creating something together is the most important aspect of all.

Apparently I don’t take many pictures of them helping me in the kitchen, because these were all I could find; and they are from 2010!

This month, the Eat Well, Spend Less ladies are talking Kids in the Kitchen. Read more great tips, ideas, and recipes here:

• Aimee at Simple Bites
• Carrie at Denver Bargains
• Jessica at Life as MOM
• Katie at Good Life Eats
• Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
• Mandi at Life Your Way
• Shaina at Food for My Family
• Tammy at Tammy’s Recipes

Linked to: Works for me Wednesday

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Even though I have been writing for the Eat Well, Spend Less crew for only seven months, I have been following this series from the very beginning, and it has been a huge inspiration to me. In fact, my “Living Better” journey began about 18 months ago when my friends Alyssa (aka, the other writer here at KFM) and Myra began sharing how their lives had been changed by diet and other natural living sources.

Naturally, I was intrigued, but I had to find out for myself what all of it was about. So I did some research and made a few changes, by making my own (safe) hand soap and deodorant, and tossing the microwave.

I also got serious about what we put into our mouths. Like, really serious.

I have since tossed most of my processed, canned, and frozen foods. I now only buy grassfed beef and hormone/antibiotic-free chicken. I’m not exactly a stellar gardener, but the produce we eat is from our back yard, locally and organically grown, or at the very least is found on the “Clean 15″ list. Our family also enjoys the benefits of a farm not far from us that sells milk and eggs. Many of the other products we buy, including gluten-free pasta, come from Azure Standard.

We drink more water now, and are saving for this baby so that we can make juice at home. Our go-to oils have gone from vegetable oil and shortening, to butter or coconut oil.

Now some of these changes came with a bit of sticker shock, as most coupons are for processed foods, and it was a little worrisome as to how I could keep our grocery bill down. But I was undaunted and completely determined to make this work. In doing this, I made up some of the difference by using coupons every time on toiletry and household goods, rather than food items. For me the key was to find what I am not willing to give up and focus on that. Our family is going to eat as well as we possibly can, so our toilet paper might not be top-of-the-line. My kids use way too much anyway, so that might not be a bad area to cut!

Side note: It is funny, however, that in MY particular area, my milk at the farm is the same price (and sometimes less, depending on which store!) as I would pay in a grocery store. And I’m not talking about organic milk. My milk from the farm is $5 a gallon, whereas at my local grocery store, it is upwards of $4.50 + tax for just your regular, store brand milk. So, making the switch from store milk wasn’t a leap at all for us.

With the changes in our diet, we have also striven to eat out less and stay home more. That isn’t always an easy accomplishment with soccer practice 4 nights a week (in the next town, no less!) falling right at suppertime. So, while everything looks good on paper, we still are not where I would like us to be. But, we are getting there and getting better. Sugar is a big thing we are trying (a little unsuccessfully, I might add) to kick right now. It doesn’t help that pregnant momma is craving Kit Kats (blush) right now.

In addition to eating better, we are much more careful about what we expose our children to, and have moved from commercial cleaners to non-toxic, homemade cleaners and sprays. We are also learning about the benefits of essential oils.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but believe it or not, my life is more simple now than it was two years ago. Our family generally feels better, and have not battled sickness like we have in years past. Plus, I know what is in my food and from where my food is coming. To me, that knowledge is priceless.

In honor of our year anniversary, the Eat Well, Spend Less ladies are talking about how their food and buying habits have changed over the last 365+ days. Read about them here:

• Aimee at Simple Bites
• Carrie at Denver Bargains
• Jessica at Life as MOM
• Katie at Good Life Eats
• Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
• Mandi at Life Your Way
• Shaina at Food for My Family
• Tammy at Tammy’s Recipes

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This month, our Eat Well Spend Less crew has celebrated the birth of three sweet girls, making that 35 kiddos between us! So we decided our focus this time around would be babies and food; after all, with 35 babes, we are kind of experts

I really, really enjoyed everyone’s posts this month, and looking at the pictures of the new little ones gave me a bit of the baby bug!

Jessica at Life as MOM shares several suggestions on how to celebrate a new baby with food (I LOVE the idea of a birth day cake!).

Aimée of Simple Bites discusses three elements the postpartum diet should address. All of her tips include nourishing, real food options, including a recipe for Honey-Vanilla Syrup to top fruit salad. Forget waiting for postpartum, I’m making this now!

Mandi from Life… Your Way takes a look at the basics of making your own baby food. Mandi’s tips are a great encouragement for anyone wanting to make their own baby food. If we ever have another, I will definitely use this as a guide!

What new mom wouldn’t love to have a meal (or two, or three) delivered right after she comes home with baby? Carrie at Denver Bargains shares several tips for being on both the giving AND receiving end of “new mom” meals.

Are you figuring out how to feed a baby real food? Katie and Kitchen Stewardship shares how her baby feeding preferences have changed with each babe, and her new favorite “first foods” for baby.

Tammy from Tammy’s Recipes knows how to have a no-work kitchen after baby… she just brought home baby number 5! I love her tips on letting others help, even if they don’t do it “your” way.

Shaina at Food for My Family shares some tips to eat well and spend less without relying on fast food. Plus, she has a giveaway for a copy of Parents Need to Eat Too, by Debbie Koenig.

And I shared my ideas for kitchen planning while pregnant.

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My youngest is three and a half, so it has been awhile since we have had a baby in the house (even though she still acts like one half of the time!). And in the eight years that we’ve been having children, my food habits have changed dramatically.

My oldest daughter was born in 2004, and at that time, the term “freezer cooking” was not in my vocabulary. And although my husband and I were 28 and 22, respectively, we tended to eat like college kids, minus the Ramen noodles. Hamburger Helper and other boxed delights were among our food staples.

Now, we lean toward the organic fruits and veggies, grassfed beef, raw milk side, with cans and boxes being utilized less frequently. We also removed our microwave last year, so that shortcut isn’t an option.

That means Momma had better get to cookin’ if anyone is to eat… whether she feels like it or not.

First Trimester Blues

I don’t know about you, but during my first trimester, I am horribly nauseous and very sensitive to smells, particularly fried eggs and meat cooking. So how do you cook for your family when you can barely stand up straight because the smells make you sick?

During this time, I rely a lot on my crockpot and oven. For some reason, the smell of a meal slow-cooking (even meat) doesn’t bother me. We also eat a lot of pasta, like homemade macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with homemade sauce, or chicken pasta salad.

Second Trimester Bliss

Most of the time, I feel pretty darn great during my second trimester. I’m no longer nauseous and I’m not completely exhausted. Now is the time to think ahead and plan for late in your third trimester and for after baby. This is where freezer cooking can come in really handy.

I like to cook up several whole chickens (or turkey!) to shred and freeze for later meals. Having this pre-cooked, frozen chicken is important because makes it easier to toss into tacos, onto homemade nachos, or in any pasta meal. You can also cook hamburger meat and then freeze it in 1- and 2-cup portions for the same result. I also make broth from those chickens and turkeys. You can freeze it and pull it out whenever you need it for soups, casseroles, or other dishes!

Third Trimester Burst

This is it. Crunch time. Before long, you have twice-monthly appointments which lead to the once-a-week ones and the when-am-I-going-to-have-this-baby-already mentality. Now is the time to begin utilizing some of those freezer meals that you made in the second trimester. And if you happen to have a sudden burst of energy and feel like cooking a meal, be sure to make a second batch to freeze for after baby comes!

Right now is when I prefer anything quick and easy. The less time I have to spend standing on swollen tootsies, the better. Quick suppers like breakfast for dinner or a version of beans and rice might happen once a week (or more!). I also love using the pre-cooked, frozen chicken and meat that I made during the second trimester.

Keep it Simple

I always try to have a lot of fresh fruit and veggies on hand. These make a quick, easy, and healthy side with little prep time or effort… no matter in what stage of pregnancy you are. And in our house, fruit or a simple spinach salad is always a welcome addition to any meal! If you prefer your veggies cooked, you could try asparagus sautéed in butter, sweet potato fries, or oven-roast those veggies.

And don’t forget about leftovers! Use any remaining mashed potatoes in Leftover Mashed Potato Soup. Toss other leftover veggies, or even pasta into a stew.

Get the Kids Involved

If you have other children, involve them in the dinner-making process. Have them pull out and measure ingredients, chop veggies, or toss a salad. Every little bit helps!

How do you keep your kitchen going while pregnant?

This month, the Eat Well, Spend Less ladies are talking all things baby! Read more great tips, ideas, and recipes here:

• Aimee at Simple Bites
• Carrie at Denver Bargains
• Jessica at Life as MOM
• Katie at Good Life Eats
• Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
• Mandi at Life Your Way
• Shaina at Food for My Family
• Tammy at Tammy’s Recipes

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It is the last day of January, but hopefully you still have momentum going on your resolutions and goals for this year. Personally, it took me about 3 weeks to get my goals from my head to paper. In fact, I’ve added a few more!

The first Eat Well, Spend Less topic for 2012 was Food Resolutions:

Mandi from Life… Your Way hits the nail on the head with the key to making a successful diet change. I am also working on limiting sugar in our family {and let me tell you, it is not easy!}, and these tips are going to be so helpful!

Shaina at Food for my Family shows you how to save money by having an organized kitchen.

Katie of Kitchen Stewardship has the right idea: reuse chicken bones for multiple batches of chicken broth. I need to do this next time I make broth, as I thought once was all you got Do you have turkey instead of chicken? Try Alyssa’s Turkey Broth recipe!

Carrie from Denver Bargains lists six tips to save money by wasting less in the kitchen. I, too, have learned some of these the hard way!

Jessica at Life as MOM is saving money by teaching her kiddos kitchen skills. {Oh, how I should be doing this better!}

Aimee of Simple Bites has several smart snacking suggestions. Her Baked Brown Rice Pilaf sounds soooo good!

Katie from Good Life Eats shares three tips for baking with whole grain flours, plus a tasty Pumpkin Cranberry Bread recipe.

Tammy of Tammy’s Recipes shows you how to work your food budget to eat well and save money at the same time!

And my contribution lists several tips on how to save money on healthier foods.

Be sure to visit each of these sites to see how you can improve upon your food and kitchen resolutions for this year. I know I need to revamp mine a bit now

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Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away, and even though my girls are homeschooled, we still love us some Valentine’s crafts and cards! Unfortunately for my craft-loving girls, this mom is a bit on the un-crafty side; I really have to work to make my crafts look, well, crafty.

So, whether you homeschool and get together with your co-op, or are celebrating Valentine’s Day in a classroom, these cards, crafts, and treats are sure to make a splash at any Valentine’s party.

Start the big day off with a yummy and holiday-appropriate breakfast.

“Valentine” Eggs in a Nest would make a cute and tasty breakfast for Valentine’s Day.

Who wouldn’t want to wake up to this treat on Valentine’s Day? And a bonus is these pancakes are “dyed” with strawberry jam and cocoa powder!

Create some super-cool and kid-friendly Valentine’s Day crafts.

Create a footprint card for an adorable and frugal keepsake that any Mom, Dad, or Grandparent will love!

My girls would love sporting this cute foam Valentine’s hat.

Any craft with a toilet paper roll is a hit with the girls and me: tp rolls mean we get to recycle AND the craft is going to be easy. And easy crafts are right up my alley!

Create sweet sentiments on cut-out hand prints for everyone in your family!

If your kiddos love painting as much as mine do, this will be a fun craft! Create a heart-shaped hand print and frame it for a special memento to give to grandparents.

I love, love, LOVE these adorable, easy Valentine’s Cards!

This is a great alternative to giving candy for Valentine’s day… just slip a pencil through this adorable little owl card and voilà! you have a super easy and super cute Valentine treat.

This is a fun and quick way to show some Valentine’s love!

Another sweet card idea is to glue little googly eyes onto a Tootsie Pop and slide it through this butterfly card.

For more Valentine’s Day crafts, cards, and activities, visit Life… Your Way.

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day crafts?

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When I started on my living healthier journey, food was a big part of what I wanted to change. It was a bit discouraging at first, as it seems eating healthier means you spend a lot more money! I didn’t give up, though, and as I continued, I realized that while eating better did cost more, you can still save money when it comes to eating healthier.

Decide what your priorities are.

Are you looking to simply reduce your eating out expenses and cook at home more? Or, are you wanting to spend your money on organic produce? Wherever you are on the spectrum, figure out what is most important to you. If you are trying to go gluten-free, then that needs to be the first thing budgeted for on your grocery list.

For our family, we choose to spend the bulk of our money on grassfed meats, real butter, farm eggs, and raw milk. Right now, with our budget (and the fact that we live in an area where organic produce is rare), we rely on the dirty dozen to purchase our fruits and veggies. Our family is also reducing the amount of gluten we eat, so gluten-free products are also make our shortlist.

Use coupons.

Yes, you can save money on natural and organic products. In fact, we have a brand-new weekly feature rounding up the best in Natural and Organic Printable Coupons. I also try to post the best daily deals that feature organic, natural, and gluten-free products.

{photo credit}

Eat at home.

I know not everyone is a gourmet chef; I’m not either. But I have found that cooking my own meals, rather than eating out, has saved our family a ton of money. And if this idea sounds completely foreign to you, that’s okay! Try cooking one or two meals a week and go from there. It won’t be long, you will be a natural… or at least it won’t be so scary! And, if you need a few ideas for easy meals, here are five frugal meals that are tasty, and won’t put a dent in your budget.

Buy fruits and veggies when they are in season.

Not only do they taste MUCH better when they are in season, but they are MUCH less expensive! It costs extra money to ship produce in when it is out of season. Buy buying local, in-season fruit and vegetables, you are getting the most bang for your buck… and the best taste for your palate.

Consider growing a garden.

I have failed miserably at this the last few years, but I am determined to eventually have a great garden. Ha! Even if you only have a few pots on your back porch, think about planting a few seeds. There is nothing better than a fresh-picked tomato, or spinach right from your own backyard.

{photo credit}

Buy in bulk.

The options for buying organic and natural products are increasing. You can now order produce in bulk from Azure Standard and Amazon. Costco carries many organic options, and our family purchases hormone-free chicken from Zaycon. While buying in bulk is a great way to save money overall, it can cost a lot of money upfront, so be sure to carefully work it into your budget.

Save in other areas.

Each week, we show you how to work the drugstores with our $5.00 Challenges. And while $5.00 may not get you all of your health and beauty items, these challenges show you how to get the most for your money.

What are your tips for saving money on healthier foods?

This month, the Eat Well, Spend Less ladies are talking about Food Resolutions. Read more great tips, ideas, and recipes here:

• Aimee at Simple Bites
• Carrie at Denver Bargains
• Jessica at Life as MOM
• Katie at Good Life Eats
• Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
• Mandi at Life Your Way
• Shaina at Food for My Family
• Tammy at Tammy’s Recipes

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If you still have your free $10 credit from Vitacost, you can snag the 54 oz. jar of Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for only $15.08, shipped. Plus, if you shop through Ebates, you can get 8% cash back on your purchase!

Here is how you can get this deal:

• Refer a friend to Vitacost and get a free $10 credit.

• Sign up for a free account with Ebates, or login. On Ebates, search for “Vitacost,” and click the orange “Shop Now” button to shop through Ebates and receive 8% cash back.

• On the Vitacost website, search for “coconut oil.”

• Add the 54 oz. jar of Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for $20.09 to your cart.

• At checkout, apply your $10 credit. Shipping is $4.99, making your total cost $15.08 ($0.28 per ounce).

• Within 30 days, your Ebates account will be credited with 8% cash back.

I love coconut oil for cooking, baking, making homemade deodorant, and more!

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Source: SimpleBites.net

The December edition of our Eat Well, Spend Less series is focusing on the Holidays.

:: Carrie at Denver Bargains has brainstormed some ideas for buying Christmas food supplies at a discount when grocery sales are lackluster.

:: Jessica at Life As MOM has listed some easy appetizers that are just the ticket for tempting tummies on a budget.

:: Nothing beats soup or chili on a cold winter day. Tammy of Tammy’s Recipes has several frugal cold weather comfort foods to fill you up this winter!

:: Katie at Kitchen Stewardship shares frugal, real food ideas when sharing food or hosting a party.

:: A hearty breakfast has always been a Christmas tradition at our house, and Mandi of Life… Your Way has compiled 9 easy make-ahead breakfasts that are perfect for Christmas morning!

:: Aimée of Simple Bites has rounded up some recipes for traditional and popular holiday foods.

:: Shaina at Food For My Family shares how this weekend is a good time to get into the store and stock up on kitchen essentials for the coming week so you can enjoy the week, rather than stress about it.

:: Contributing writer Amy listed 10 easy Homemade Food Gifts that are easy on the palate and the budget.

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If you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping, and are at a loss as to what to get some of your friends and family (like I am!), you might want to try making homemade goodies. My husband is a youth pastor, and while I don’t want to break the bank getting the other staff families gifts, I like to whip up a little something for them at Christmastime.

Source: SimpleBites.net via Amy on Pinterest

My girls adore shortbread cookies. They don’t last long at our house! Now the only question is, which of these four shortbread cookie recipes to make?!

Source: MyBlessedLife.net via Amy on Pinterest

This Peppermint Bark from My Blessed Life is so fun and festive, and would make a beautiful (and yummy!) Christmas gift.

Source: StolenMomentsCooking.com via Amy on Pinterest

These Double Chip Cookies from Stolen Moments Cooking are a favorite with our students. They go crazy over them, and I can never make enough! Everyone I know would not mind receiving these goodies for Christmas!

Source: Life.YourWay.net via Amy on Pinterest

I love biscotti, and this Candy Cane Biscotti looks divine. Now… should I go dipped or undipped?!

Source: MarthaStewart.com via Amy on Pinterest

This is an easy, healthy gift. Mix walnuts and dried fruit with raw, local honey and you have a delicious topping for yogurt or oatmeal. I love how it is “wrapped up” with a spoon and simple label.

Source: AmysFinerThings.com via Amy on Pinterest

One of my husband’s favorite desserts is fudge. I’m not a fudge-making kind of gal (mainly because I always mess it up!), but even I might be able to manage this Peanut Butter Cocoa Fudge. Amy says it is “No Fail,” so hopefully that applies to me!

Source: SixSistersStuff.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

These Andes Mint Cookies look decadent… and I’m sure any recipient of them would think the same thing!

Source: PeasandThankYou.com via Amy on Pinterest

I am definitely putting these No-Bake Snowball Cookies on my must-bake list! They can even be made gluten-free. Yum.

Source: MyBlessedLife.net via Amy on Pinterest

Chex Mix is one of my guilty pleasures, and I love how Myra has mixed it up by adding craisins and M&M’s. This would make one tasty and beautiful Christmas gift… if I don’t eat it all myself!

Source: FoodForMyFamily.com via Amy on Pinterest

I would be remiss if I did not mention a gingerbread recipe. Gingerbread is a Christmastime staple, after all. Shaina has put together a lovely cookie mixture to make any gingerbread lover swoon.

Hopefully some of these tasty goods will inspire you… and help you cross off a few people on your list! You can also check out my Homemade Foodie Gifts board on Pinterest if you need more yummy ideas.

Linked to Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda

The Eat Well, Spend Less ladies are tackling the Holidays this month. Read more great tips, ideas, and recipes here:

• Aimee at Simple Bites
• Carrie at Denver Bargains
• Jessica at Life as MOM
• Katie at Good Life Eats
• Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
• Mandi at Life Your Way
• Shaina at Food for My Family
• Tammy at Tammy’s Recipes

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