Cookie Cutter Cooking

As a working mom I am always seeking out ways to make our everyday tasks just a little better, sweeter and more memorable. There are those busy weeks when sometimes I only see my kids for dinner. So I try to make dinner a little better by adding a little something that will make dinner a happy experience.

I had more blog posts written to go with our "Decorating with. . .  ." series, but in lieu of recent events it didn't feel appropriate. So this week is going to stray from the "design" focus of this blog and focus on family and children for the week. 

Please stay tuned for a special non-design related announcement about our family on Friday!

My children are NOT big eaters. Dinner time, and, well, let's face it, any other meal of the day is usually filled with tears and screaming from everyone. For whatever reason my children just don't like to eat. My son is lactose intolerant, so I think that is why he doesn't like to eat and my daughter just does whatever my son does. . . 

There are days when I only see my kids at meal times. And I dread that my only time with them will be spent in tears from everyone! So I try to think of ways to put smiles on their faces at meal times. And I am able to achieve this through the use of 

Cookie Cutters!

I use cookie cutters for everything. Sandwiches, french toast, vegetables for salads such as cucumbers, peppers, and other things like cheese. 

Our example today will be with a ham and cheese sandwich.

First, you make the sandwich as normal: mayonnaise and mustard on the bread, then a lice of american cheese and three slices of ham.

Choose smaller cookie cutters for food items like this. I find them in the cake decorating section and usually use fondant cutters.

I also serve sandwiches, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, etc with chips or fries and carrot sticks and celery in these fun red baskets and the kids feel like they are at a restaurant!

We call what's left over the daddy sandwich because daddy will eat anything. 

Now, while I make no guarantees about this making meal time more pleasant. . . 

(Miriam sporting her new Christmas dress that I made her)

. . .  I can say from my own experience that a simple meal time becomes fun and memorable with cookie cutter meals. 

They might even be happy enough after dinner to do this:

I'll take this any day over tears and screaming, "I don't want to eat!!!!"

Make your every day moments with your children a little sweeter this week. More tomorrow :)