Cooking with, and for, young children offers many wonderful ways to broaden their willingness to try different foods. By helping to prepare and eating good, nutritious food, the young child’s senses are stimulated in ways that support the healthy growth of their bodies. The nurturing and nourishing of the senses are vital to the healthy development of the young child.
Every school day at Rosebud Garden, the children are surrounded by the aromas of good food and by the preparation of the food we eat. The smell of a meal cooking evokes a feeling of care and comfort in the children, while stimulating their digestive systems. It emits a sense of well-being that aids the children in feeling secure in their environments.
Young children are curious by nature and want to know everything about their environment. As adults, we can provide opportunities for the children in our care to imitate positive and practical life activities, including food preparation and cooking. Since imitation is a natural way young children learn, what better way than making food together to engage them, nurture them and help them in developing a life skill?
When young children participate in creating food in beautiful, caring, and loving ways, they are nourished. As we prepare food with them, it is important to keep in mind that imagination, rhythm, repetition, imitation and joy should be a part of this wonderful experience!
Sweet Potato & Coconut Cream Biscuits,
(featured on the cover of Farmhouse Manna, www.farmhousemanna.com)
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 cup corn starch
1/8 cup honey
1/2 cup safflower oil
3/4 cup mashed, chilled sweet potato (approximately 1 medium, baked, sweet potato)
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Blend in the honey, oil and sweet potato and mix well, but do not over mix. Add the coconut cream and stir to combine. Fold in the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Let rest in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Overnight works well too.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove sweet potato mixture from the refrigerator and spoon onto a cookie sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. When the bottom of the biscuits are brown and the tops are lightly browned, they are ready to be removed from the oven.
The biscuits will have a more rustic look as they are not formed with a biscuit cutter. Makes approximately 30 biscuits
Chinyelu Kunz is lead teacher at Rosebud Garden, 
a LifeWays Representative Program at Kimberton Waldorf School. She also serves as LifeWays Student Services Director for both the Certification Training and the Continuation Program offered at Kimberton