Turo Virta: 1:08

Welcome back to the Fit Me Turo Fit Me Turo fitness podcast. For many families, knowing what a healthy meal looks like isn't the biggest problem. The real challenge is getting everyone involved, finding time to prepare food, dealing with picky eating, and avoiding a daily battle at the dinner table. My guest today is Rachel Solano, curriculum director at Young Chefs Academy. Rachel has extensive experience teaching both adults and children, and today she helps develop cooking programs designed to build children's confidence, independence, Creativity, creativity, creativity, and practical kitchen skills. In this episode, we will talk about how involving children in cooking may change their relationship with food. What parents can do when a child refuses unfamiliar foods, and how families can create healthier routines without expecting every meal to be perfect. Rachel, welcome to the podcast. And before we get into practical family nutrition, could you share your background and how you became involved with Young Chefs Academy?

Unknown: 2:24

Well, thank you so much for the invitation and for highlighting this topic, I'm really looking forward to the conversation. So, I have always enjoyed food. So, my interest in food and and cooking really developed at a young age. So, my my parents were so gracious to invite me into the kitchen when I was little, and and I just kind of watched my mom as she prepared meals. I was so lucky to have home cooked meals. Every meal was a home cooked meal, and we had a large garden. And so my my knowledge and interest in food started as at a young age. As my career developed, I had the opportunity to start teaching cooking classes in a to adults in a gourmet kitchen store, and I was exposed to a lot of different cuisines. I worked with a lot of chefs from a lot of different backgrounds and countries, and after that, I had the opportunity to start working as the curriculum director for Young Chefs Academy. So a lot of my background really was just exposure to lots of different ingredients, lots of different cooking techniques, cultures, and so now I have the opportunity to to support teachers and our franchise owners with curriculum and all of the the knowledge that I've that I've gained to you know help them empower this next generation of young chefs and helping kids make healthier food choices.

Turo Virta: 4:11

I find this is so interesting topic. Like as you probably heard from my introduction, my pronunciation is not perfect. Like we, when we are recording this, we just our first son got born 10 days ago, and my sleep have been on and off and and that is and but it's it's cooking. I know that it's going to be a topic, of course not yet, but in the very soon in the future for me personally also. And I'm so excited to learn from you and how like because there are so many picky eaters and everything, But what what is now? Because you have so much experience with the adults and now with the children, as you mentioned. So, what differences have you noticed between how adults and children approach cooking?

Unknown: 5:05

That's a very good question. You know, we're all cooking is about curiosity and experimentation, and I don't think there's a real big difference with with kids and adults there, but specifically with children, we developing. We all have food preferences, right? As adults, those have been developed. We we we know what we like and dislike. Kids learn that pretty early on. So, first of all, congratulations on your growing family. That's amazing. And so, you know, infants they they they drink you know breast milk formula, maybe slowly introduced to some pureed foods, but it's really the toddler years where that curiosity comes in, and you know, kids 345, they they want to try new things. They're fearless, and so this is the prime time for parents to introduce foods and just expose kids to foods. It doesn't. Have to be something they're eating. It can be something that they're just touching, or something that they're learning about. But you know, images of the food. Maybe you're in the grocery store and you can point out different foods. So, when it comes to healthy food choices, I think just starting kids as early as possible is going to lead, you know, into their adulthood. You know, I can speak, you know, personally that learning how to maintain a garden and growing vegetables and and and taking those vegetables, washing them, how to cook them at a young age really set me up for success as an adult. So, the approach to you know healthy eating and food choices, the differentiation between kids and adults is just that as as kids they're still learning. As adults, we've really kind of defined our preferences at that point.

Turo Virta: 7:05

Because it's I remember because I'm originally come from Finland, and we had like it was later on in my life. It's a it was like I think I was like 1314, 15 year old, and we had a. It was part of school. We had a cooking lesson, and here now I live in Italy, and here nobody teaches you. If you are lucky, your mum or maybe dad, but nobody here from school system. And I found it so valuable, like at a young age, to learn to cook. Because if you never, you know, as a young adult, like you move by yourself, living and you have never cooked, you have you have either food had have been delivered. You are eating out, or or you are getting something. And this is I found it so valuable for young age to do, because I was like I was picky eater when I was younger, and and that that changed. I think when you started yourself doing it, then it changed everything for me personally. But do you do you remember a child who arrived very hesitant, but changed significantly through cooking?

Unknown: 8:21

Oh, absolutely! We've had so many so many good interactions with our students, where they the parents will speak for them and say, "Oh, they're not going to eat any vegetables, but they come into the classroom. We put together a salad. They learn how to make a salad dressing, you know, from scratch. We identify all of the different flavors. You know, what's beautiful about involving kids in the cooking process is it's it's not about the recipe. It's not really even about the ingredients. It's about the skills they're building, you know, and and that exposing them to different things. It's we can talk about you know the sources where these where these foods came from, why we put a vinegar with an oil together, and how that that makes a salad dressing. So there's so much more to cooking than a recipe and the ingredients. It's the process, and and kids feel a lot of ownership too. You know when they're when they're a part of that process, and so I think that just it's been such a beautiful thing to see kids really want to be a part of the cooking process, and then you know at the end, just such pride in what they've made. They are so much more willing to try it, taste it. Yeah,

Turo Virta: 9:47

that that was what I wanted to wanted to ask because there are many many like myself included. I still remember vividly when my mom tried to get me to eat something with mushrooms, and I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, mushrooms are no go. And then she put it somewhere, and I was not like in like my favorite food, like meatballs, which was my favorite when I was a younger, and and then she put there inside those mushrooms, and I said, no, no, no, I see their mushroom. I'm not gonna eat it. But do if I'm just thinking what you just said in the end that do children become more willing to taste something when they have helped prepare it, like or if if I would I I would imagine myself in that situation that if I would be preparing it, maybe I would have a different opinion.

Unknown: 10:38

Yeah, absolutely. Yes, you know the research shows that ownership breeds enthusiasm. So when when you complete a task or you you learn something new, there's so much excitement with that too. So yeah, I I a lot of when it comes to introducing new food. And and and encouraging kids to try you know those healthy whole foods that they may not think they like. It it takes up to 20 times of exposure to to a new ingredient for a child to feel comfortable even you know eating it or having it on their plate. So my one of the things we've learned the most as teachers is to be patient and to just find ways to to expose that the kids to that food. What's really great about cooking too is you know our our students at Young Chefs Academy they come every week, so we learn two new recipes every week, and it's it's it's a very extensive program. And they learn different ways of cooking foods. So you know, a steamed carrot or steamed broccoli versus you know one in a stir fry with a lot of other ingredients and a wonderful sauce. They learn that oh, I do like broccoli after all because we've we've shown them how that you can, as a chef, and you learn how to cook it. You can learn how to cook your vegetables how you like them.

Turo Virta: 12:20

Oh, that's that's what I thought. That it's it's it must be like if you have like let's say that you you are as a parent. You want that your child is trying broccoli, but if you just take a broccoli without anything, cook it. It's not gonna be that delicious, and it's it's it's hard to eat even for many adults. But then when you learn like that, okay, Terry said maybe maybe you know you put there some kind of sauce or different spices, or something. So then you learn like that. Okay, this is not. I can change the original taste a little bit with my cooking skills. So it becomes totally different thing. So what is what? At what dates you said something three to five? But at what age can children realistically begin helping in the kitchen? Is it at three years old or?

Unknown: 13:15

Yeah, great question. Yeah, as early as as you're comfortable as a parent. But some of the things that yeah, a two or three year old might be able to help with in the kitchen. I can give some some specific examples, but start with something small, one task, because you know you're still in the kitchen cooking. You've got to get dinner on the table, and as much fun as it is to have them in the kitchen with you the whole time, that's not going to suit both of you. So finding something that your two or three year old can do that may take just a minute, but they feel really like they're contributing to the meal. So something like washing, they may not be able to cut a tomato, but they can certainly rinse it, rinse it off, and something like tearing up lettuce leaves would be a really simple thing that they could do. Even maybe stirring something or or pouring something into a pan. So, as early as two or three, if you are able to, you know, have the time to set aside those few extra minutes to set that up for your child. What we're learning too is that, you know, with any skill, repetition is how we learn things, right? So starting as early as you can is really a great, great way to set them up for success. And then you know when they're five or six, maybe they're ready to start cracking eggs. And then when they're you know 10, they're ready to try using a knife to to do some dicing with you.

Turo Virta: 14:57

Oh, nice! Yeah, that's what I what I wanted to hear next. Of course, I'm really curious. Like, what would be like if you would give one task or one job for each age range. Let's say that preschool kid, primary school kid, and teenager. Like what what tasks are first of all suitable, and what job you could give for each age group or age range? I love,

Unknown: 15:23

yeah, really good question. Um, so, um, our classes start around start we we start at age five, and then we have three different levels of classes, and so we we place our our students into classes based on their skill level, like you're talking about. So the youngest group of of students will you know learn be learning about measuring and even like their fine motor skills, holding a spoon and holding a pair of tongs and and using a spatula. They're not involved in much in any of the cooking at the stove. So you know until they're probably the age of seven or eight. All of the the things that they can help with don't involve heat, you know, or cooking at the stove. There are some really great tools that have been designed for kids that are, you know, four or five years old. Safety knives and then safety gloves. We prioritize safety in our cooking schools, and so even our youngest chefs, five-year-old, we will teach them the proper way to hold a knife. Now, mind you, this is a safety knife, and it's plastic. And then how to wearing a safety glove and learning how to use their guide hand with that safety glove to to start cutting, so if you have those tools, you can start early with those skills. But I would say also when we're talking about you know what ages, what skills are are are right for each age, it really depends on your your child too. So the if if they've been cooking in the kitchen with you for a few years, you know eight eight or nine might be the time for them to use a real knife with a safety glove. I think a safety glove is a great investment even for adults to to hold on that guide hand. So, knife skills is something we introduce pretty early when it comes to stovetop cooking. That's always we're always supervising that. There's an adult there. When you feel comfortable that your child knows how to use that stove, you may allow them to use it with without your supervision, but that's something that we really prioritize. And I would say those things are really important to to be with the with your kids in the kitchen anytime they're cooking. And then we have we have lots of fun activities that we do with our kids to learn how to sauté with a with a cool pan and some you know beans in the pan, so they're practicing some of those skills without any of the heat involved. So just getting the the fine motor skills and and learning the skills that way. So those those are some ways that you can kind of start teaching skills without any of the you know without heat or sharp objects.

Turo Virta: 18:28

Yeah, no, I think that's the that's the most important thing. Like, was if I could imagine if a child or adult or if child gets involved with the heat or knife, and as a mum or dad, you are next to it. Child has a trauma for long time, and parent, you probably are getting scared, and I don't know if you ever want to do it. So that's those are very very good practical practical tips. So I wanted to talk them a little bit about picky eating and food battles, what we mentioned in the beginning. So is that first of all, is that piggy eating? Is it the normal developmental phase? And when should parents become concerned?

Unknown: 19:18

Well, that's a really good question. We all again, we all develop our our food preferences at an early age, and our our palate tells us what we like and we dislike, and we know that early on, sugar is is something that we like because it highlights those those parts of the brain that bring you know joy and and satisfaction and happiness, and so a lot of it is physiological, and that is something hard to work with. But again, it takes some patience, and just a healthy way of introducing new foods to to kids is you know doing it in a very Non confrontational way, you know, really supportive way where they are helping you, you know, wash the vegetables, or they're helping you pick them out in the grocery store. Just touching them and looking at them and talking about them. Patience is a big part of it too, and again, it's going to take several times of exposure to to a new food, to for a child to be comfortable with it. A beautiful thing about like if you're if you're really a confident cook in the kitchen, you know, picky eating might be something related to texture even, and so finding ways to cook a vegetable or a whole food in a way that the changes the texture of it that your is more palatable to your child that's that's a tip I can share but picky eating really has to do with. Part partly, you know, their environment and and the the way our preferences are are are shaped. You know, we're with our families the most when we're young, right? So, having a positive approach to food and eating, involving kids in that process in the kitchen, it really is a remarkable thing. If if you have kids in the kitchen with you, they're so much more willing to try something new. And even if they put it in their mouth and spit it out, I mean, that's that's a win there because that's an exposure to it. Uh huh.

Turo Virta: 21:46

Absolutely. So, what is then, in your opinion, biggest mistake adults make when a child refuses food?

Unknown: 21:57

Yeah, I don't know what the biggest mistake is, but a few things to I would recommend to avoid is to, you know, never make food like an ultimatum. You have to eat all your vegetables, or this is the only thing you can eat, or or even making it, you know, food as as a reward. So you want to have the conversation about food in a positive light, like maybe ask them, "Do you want to have corn or carrots tonight? Rather than"What kind of vegetable do you want tonight? Involve them in that and help them by making some of those decisions with you. So it's never. I would always just caution from saying, you know, you have to eat your vegetables, or you're not leaving the table until you clean your plate. Those really kind of instill some negative emotions with food, and so just being patient and finding ways to expose your kids to different foods is really the best way to to avoid those biases when it comes to food preferences.

Turo Virta: 23:14

So, what about then? Like, if as a parent, should you ask child to take one bite, or can that create more, even more pressure?

Unknown: 23:25

Yeah, we always. That's a really good question, and I'm glad you asked it because in our cooking schools, we don't have a rule, but we have we always ask that they at least take one bite, yeah, and taste it. And nine times out of 10, they'll eat the rest of the food on their plate. So, yeah, just ask them please take a bite for me, and you know, let us know how what it tastes like. You can some follow up questions are always really, really helpful. Like, what flavors do you taste? What is something that you would? Is there another way you would make this food? You know, asking some follow up questions and helping them kind of get their curiosity going and their their you know creative chef juices flowing will also help encourage them to understand to kind of look at the food as an as you know a creative thing rather than just an object, yeah.

Turo Virta: 24:29

Yeah, awesome. And then the next thing, what I'm curious, like, was what a parent, like in your opinion, should say to a child who says that I don't like it before even tasting it. What advice would say? Yeah,

Unknown: 24:43

I I hear I hear that from adults too. Yeah. I you know, it really isn't that. Yeah, that that that's a tough one. Just always say, you know, when what is it that you don't like about it? I think questions to help them identify what it is, and so that you that will be helpful to you too. Next time you maybe make that food, trying trying it a different way. But again, it always goes back to if there's an opportunity for them to be involved in in cooking that, or preparing that, or choosing that, they're they're more likely to give it a try. And another thing is our our palates will change over time. You know, it may take a few years for your child to be comfortable trying something new. So, if if carrots aren't something they're wanting to try right now, you might find some other vegetables that work, and then later, a few years later, try it to reintroduce those carrots again.

Turo Virta: 25:51

Yeah, that's a good good advice. Then, what about what about what is your opinion like that? So parents prepare a separate meal when a child refuses to have a dinner.

Unknown: 26:06

I don't think so. Really, a well-balanced meal should should have you know something for everybody. So, one of a great tip that we have that I would that I would share is allowing kids to kind of put their own food on their plate. This may depend on their age. You know, two or three might be too young to to really do this, but let them choose how much and what they want to put on their plate, and that that's a way to make sure that you're not cooking two separate meals. You know, we're all eating the same thing. The focus should be on the time together too, rather than you know what we're eating. So that's that's a little. We're all very pressed for time already, and you know if if you're putting a home cooked meal on the table, that's a win, and the family will will just you know work together, giving giving them the opportunity to to choose what goes on their plate is a really helpful tool. Also, allowing them to be a part of the meal planning process and the menu planning process. I love the idea of you know when you have a little more time on a Sunday or the weekend, you know, asking everybody for the input. Okay, help me think of rest of what we want to cook this week. We've got four meals we're eating at home this week, and and I'd love your input. And and when you know kids feel a little bit of ownership there when that meal comes on later in the week. They're pretty excited about it because they got to help pick pick it and choose it, and then also like on when you have a little more time on the weekends to do some you know meal prepping, and and that's a great time to have the kids in the kitchen with you helping because you've got a little bit more time, so first of all, having them kind of choose a few dishes they really love, and then helping you prepare them is really going to set you up for success later in the week. So everybody is excited about eating the same thing.

Turo Virta: 28:21

Awesome! No, those I because I was the next question. What I wanted to, but you already answered it. I wanted to ask you that if how you could respect like child's appetite and preferences without allowing the child to control the entire menu, but you just answered that, so that is so well answered, and I love those those tips. So then, all about language, what we use when we talk with the children, like and especially how to remain curious about food. Like, for example, is it better to say that you don't like it yet instead of you are a picky eater?

Unknown: 29:06

Yeah, that that word"picky eater. It's it's a strong it's a strong statement. Yeah, great question. Yeah, ask if if if you hear parents say my kids don't like that. My kids are picky. A lot of the questions that I'll I'll address if the child's there, I'll address the child directly and say, "Well, tell me. Tell me when you ate that, you know, and kind of think about follow up questions for them. I don't, I don't know how how how to answer that specifically, except to say that you know we all have preferences. Some of us are picky, even as adults. There's things we dislike. It's we we don't have to eat every every type of food. I think it's a great thing as as chefs and as kids learning to cook, understanding what they do like and helping them learn that on their own. So not necessarily the word picky, but maybe what do you prefer? We we do that. That's that's the phrase that we we like to use. Is okay. If you don't like this, what is a vegetable you prefer, or what is the way you prefer to have it cooked? Yeah,

Turo Virta: 30:29

love it. No, because I, I personally, I don't like if you label someone like as a even child. You don't. We probably we do it without even understanding what we are doing. Like if you tell to your child or someone like it could be picky or it could be something else, and then as a as a from young age, you might get that identity or make it even stronger. That I'm a picky eater. I don't like this. And then it makes kind of it's like kind of everything. If you hear something over and over again, then you start to believe it, and it makes that identity what you are building as. As a child, or even as an adult, it makes it even stronger. So I would personally avoid using those, and like you said, asking better questions or finding different words for that. What are maybe not creating directly that identity?

Unknown: 31:24

Very well said. But

Turo Virta: 31:25

that's yeah, that's just my take. So, what do you think then about those rewards? What you already said a little bit, little bit like using dessert as a reward for eating, for example, vegetables.

Unknown: 31:39

Yeah, that's a that's a really good question. And you know, food is something that we you know, we we have a lot of choices. We want to have those choices, and when it comes to when it comes when when we're old enough to start making those choices, it's it's hard to always make the the the healthy ones. So, I just knowing that you know it take it takes some some good habits and it takes some rituals where you your children are understanding that you know we're going to have some vegetables and you eat as many of them as you can, and then dessert will follow. And it's never like eat your vegetables and then you get dessert. It's you know encouraging them in such a positive way. Try to eat as many as you can, or allowing them to put the amount of vegetables on their plate that they want, that they think they will eat, and and then following that with some dessert. But never food should never be a reward because we all eat. We we have to eat every day. So food is a necessary part of our life, and rewards. You know those those are different for different people. Food should just always be something that we deserve. We should enjoy, and instead of some some sort of a special thing that you know only happens if we do something good.

Turo Virta: 33:23

Yeah, no, that's I absolutely agree. And because we, I still know like many many people, women who I work with, they use food as a reward. It could be that I have been eating well whole day, and now I or I had a stressful day, or I was doing good workout. Now I deserve something. You are using as it as a reward either doing something or as kind of suppressing unwanted emotional feelings, and I believe that all starts when you are a child. Maybe often those things they start when we are very young child, and then they follow in the adult, and you might not even recognize it. Maybe your mom, without knowing it, have been using it food as a reward, like that. Now, if you eat your vegetables, you get your dessert or ice cream, and then as a parent, you might think that that you know I can't give only dessert. But I believe I don't know what you think, but I believe that if you if you if there is like dessert, shouldn't be reward. It don't have to be every day. It could be someday. It could be just a bearish or something. It don't need to be some big cake or ice cream or whatever. But and if you decide to give like a real dessert, it should be always like a maybe some small portion that it's not you know that you are not saving that you know because you know that you are going to get huge piece of cake or as much chocolate as you want after, and then you get that energy already from there. But instead, if it's just a small portion, what regardless what you are eating before, and if you are not, you are you shouldn't suppress or eat for your hunger with the dessert, right? So I I believe those are yeah easier said than done, but but I believe that rewarding food it should not and it starts often at very young age.

Unknown: 35:27

Yeah, some of our lessons we talk about why dessert is so delicious and why even after a big meal we're still hungry for dessert. It's because it's it's there's a pal there's a change for our palates, right? We go from something savory to something sweet, and as soon as something sweet touches our tongue, our mind, our brain wants more of it. Even if we're full, that sweet treat we could eat even more than we should. So, I having the opportunity to share that with our students really puts them to a mindset, even at a young age, that. Oh, you know, this this is this is what overindulgence sounds like, and that's that's how it happens. And I love your idea about you know a sweet treat being something that is healthy. You know, there's so many ways to to incorporate fruit into You know, a dessert that makes a dessert even healthier, and even a chocolate cake. We can put zucchini in that. So a lot of there's a lot of ways to make sweets healthier. That's probably a whole other subject, but we do talk about that. And then again, you know, it's such an amazing thing when we introduce a recipe, we're going to put zucchini in this chocolate cake, and the kids are really hesitant. They're involved in the process. They taste it at the end, and they're mesmerized by how much they like

Turo Virta: 36:59

it. Yeah, yeah. Then other other hot topic, like what I have huge personal experiences, that what you think that should children be required to finish everything on their plate.

Unknown: 37:13

I I appreciate that question, and I actually have a very strong memory when I was a kid, and and that that happened at dinner one night, and I wasn't supposed to leave the table until I clean my plate, and so personally, I know how that felt, and I didn't understand it, of course, as a child why that was so important. Reflecting back, it wasn't necessary for me to clean my plate. You know, if if you are so privileged to have three meals a day plus snacks, kids should just eat until they're full, and there's force feeding is is is not going to set anyone up for success when it comes to a healthy relationship with food. So, just even you know, kids learning their hunger cues, recognizing when they're full and when to stop, is a real sign of maturity too. So that's to be celebrated as well.

Turo Virta: 38:24

No, absolutely. And I, I, I I had a talk because I was I I grew up with that I had to almost always finish my blade and I I have to admit I still struggle with it. It's it's really hard for me to leave something behind. I'm practicing it, and I actually talked with my mom about it. Like of course it was she didn't even think, but of course, my mum. I'm sure she did everything she knew, but of course, she got it from her mum, and it's passing. Those things are passing from generation to generation, like where my mom cut it from her mum, and of course, she didn't know any better, because that was her example, and and was at the time when my grandma was younger, there was a. It was different times. There was not so much food available, and you couldn't waste anything. And now, I believe in. In of course, there is still hunger. But most of the people who are listening, this you they are not starving. They are not, or you can you can still you can save it. You can put it to fridge. Use it. Eat it later, like that. You don't. You don't have to waste it. Waste it. So, or or just prepare a little bit less food. And then, if you're still if you are still hungry, then you can always eat something else a little bit more. But I personally, I think that that is that is it's it's getting better. I'm for sure. Like from generation to generation, what I have seen from my social media and working with my clients, but still there are still many, many people who are struggling with that.

Unknown: 39:59

Well, I commend you for having this platform and sharing because I think it's changing, definitely changing mindsets about food and and portion control and what goes on our plates, because yeah, what you said was was spot on about food was scarce, you know, a couple generations ago, and now we have such an abundance that it the the new challenge is you know not not finishing all of our food, but that is okay. Yeah.

Turo Virta: 40:33

So then I want to talk because I know many of my listeners they are having very busy family life and many parents know what they would ideally or what they would like to do, but evenings are so rushed. So what is a realistic starting point?

Unknown: 40:51

Yeah, went busy, busy, busy. A realistic starting point would be one meal for the week. We're gonna we're gonna plan one meal, and we're gonna prioritize some whole foods for that meal, and. Perhaps maybe involve the whole the whole family in in choosing that meal, and then if your kids are at the right age, they can help you prepare it. But starting with one, you know, is is is a great place to start, and then you know build on that each week. You know, as you know, with habits, it's just repetition. I'm getting in the groove of it. Schedules will change every week, so pick a day of the week that you normally are all home for a few hours in the evening when you can do that, or or maybe prep it ahead. But that would be that would be a great place to start. It's just one meal a week, home cooked meal, and that's something that everybody can kind of look forward to and participate in.

Turo Virta: 41:51

Would you would you let each child choose one meal for the week?

Unknown: 41:59

I'm sorry, ask that again.

Turo Virta: 42:00

Would you Would you let a child choose that meal or or one meal per week?

Unknown: 42:06

I I love that idea. Yes, I would let them own a dish, like maybe you know it's Turo's enchiladas this week. So you this we're making your meal this week for Friday night, and something everybody's going to look forward to. Yeah, I think that's a great idea. Letting them choose something.

Turo Virta: 42:28

Awesome, awesome. So, what about then? What role do you think such eating at table or turning off screens, playing children's eating behavior?

Unknown: 42:40

Yeah, that is that is a lost art. I with you know smartphones and so many screens, I find myself sometimes looking at three different screens while I'm eating dinner. Sometimes and so yeah, intentionality there with with making a family dinner at the table a priority. Again, maybe start with one meal a week. I I reflect on growing up, and it was three square meals at the table every day. We sat together as a family, and it's amazing how that has really set me up for success and my relationships with people. It it helps improve grades in school. It helps improve your mental health. It helps you make healthier food choices. There's so many benefits from it. So, the challenge is getting everybody on board with sitting at the table together, but making it something fun. You can you can have a little game associated with it. Give everybody a chance to talk at the table and share something from their day, even incorporating some fun-I say fun, but some etiquette rules. We do that with our students, and you know, learning the proper way to eat a soup, you know, hold our knife and fork. Those are really fun activities that engage everybody at the table, so yeah. Again, just that is a very important activity part of eating is eating together at the table, eating slowly and being mindful about what you're eating. So I encourage that, and in fact, we have an upcoming lesson this fall with our with our students a whole month talking about eating at the family table. So I love that you asked that question.

Turo Virta: 44:33

No, nice because it's it's something what we do in Italy, and I we try to like it's of course I know it's not always possible, but we try to eat one meal per day, everyone together in a family table without phones, without without actually having conversations, and I think I find that this is like something when I grew up in Finland that was very rare. Of course, it it depends on its individual situation, working school, and so on. But if just possible one meal, even it's one meal per week, but it it is such a big difference because I it came just my mind like it was was it last year I was in we were in a holiday and I don't like to chat chat to people but it was this next table or not next to us there was a small child and of course mum put phone for that child I don't know. Maybe she was two, three years old, watching phone, and at the same time, mom was feeding her, putting with the spoon food to her mouth, so distracting her from actually. She didn't even know what she was doing, and whatever she was, I don't know. Maybe it was the only way she was eating something, but I was just thinking at that moment. I still remember it vividly that what kind of what is expectation from that kind of behavior? You are from so small on. You are learning to eat distracted. You are learning to eat that somebody else is putting food. To your mouth, and then you are just eating it. So I don't believe that there is she's tasting food or or anything like that. It it's there is gonna be a lot of issues also later on. What do what is your thing thoughts?

Unknown: 46:23

Yeah, there's there was no connection to food for her, yeah, and that's that's how you develop a healthy relationship with food. Is you know, food we associate memories and food together so much they they really frame you know certain meals growing up and memories of the smells of it that your parents or grandparents were cooking that you carry those through your whole life. So you know if if you're if you're if you're not creating great memories by being mindful with your food and your your meals, you know that's that's something that's going to be missing later in life, and I, yeah, I love that you shared that story. I, I, parents are challenged this these days with with screens and making time without screens really positive, you know, Carefree, that that's that's the direction I would go, and with that, I mean I'm I'm guilty of it too. Just working through lunch every day, but sitting and just enjoying a meal without distractions is really the goal for sure.

Turo Virta: 47:46

So then, before we end, few questions about relationship with food and long term habits. So, how do adults unintentionally pass their own food fears or dieting habits to children?

Unknown: 48:01

Yeah, kids are sponges. They hear everything and they see everything and they learn by repetition, so I think it's a beautiful thing if you can be in the kitchen together cooking, and the conversations about food are lighthearted. Or you don't even have to be talking about the food; you can be talking, you know, having a conversation with your kids about your day. So, if it is important for us to, as adults, to recognize: Okay, what are my food preferences? Am I a picky eater? What influences are am I having on my kids? How can I improve that? We have a lot of responsibility there, so looking inside and understand and recognizing those things first, and maybe trying new foods together would would be a way for you to instill some healthy habits and showing kids what you know, setting a good example for them. But I always I always go back to you know I'm work at a children's cooking school, so involving them in any process when it comes to preparing the food, it's going to benefit both parents, adults, and the kids.

Turo Virta: 49:20

So what is then what happens when child regularly hear adults criticize their own bodies or describe food as a good and bad.

Unknown: 49:32

Yeah, that can certainly shape a young mind into, you know, thinking of food as something that's gonna hurt them or gonna give them, you know, some some some negative feelings. So, yeah, it's really important for us as adults to to recognize the the language we use about food. So, you know, family meals together, meal time should be positive. You know, the even even for adults, we all again we all have to eat. We have lots of choices there, so knowing that the choices you make, the kids are going to see that the words that you use about your your your body and your eating habits. Kids are going to see that, and really, I think knowing that there's no bad foods. Foods all serve a purpose, and they all can can be beneficial, especially you know if for those of us who don't have three square meals a day. Food, food is good. Food in any form is going to be important and necessary. But if you have the privilege of choosing your your ingredients and your foods, that is something to be proud of and. And to know that you know we have such an abundance of wonderful food that you know you can you can make it a positive. You can turn all that into a positive. Even a piece of chocolate cake, savor it, appreciate it, and yeah, make it a positive a positive note for your kids.

Turo Virta: 51:28

So then, last question is: What is what for a family that rarely cooks together? What is one small thing they could try this week?

Unknown: 51:40

A small thing to try this week would be. Ooh, I know a recipe hunt. Have everybody find a recipe that they want to make and bring it. Bring it. You know, put it, share it with the family, and then just start getting those creative juices flowing. Like, oh, this is a great, you know, grilled chicken recipe that I want to try, and then maybe pick one for that week to make together.

Turo Virta: 52:07

Nice. That's a good, great idea. What is then one thing you wish every parent understood about children and food?

Unknown: 52:17

Well, I think something we've already covered is that you know they they're gonna they're gonna their preferences are going to be shaped early on, so the sooner you can you can get started with teaching kids about cooking or getting them involved in cooking, the better you're going to set them up for success with healthier habits later in life.

Turo Virta: 52:42

Awesome! And where can listeners learn more about Young Chefs Academy and your work.

Unknown: 52:49

Well, thank you for that. They can follow us on all social media platforms at Young Chefs Academy. We have a website that lists all of our franchise locations in North America or in the United States. We have about 34 locations, and we are-we have a handful in development right now. We're really growing. I-you can follow me on Instagram. It's Rachel J. Solano, and on Facebook.

Turo Virta: 53:21

Awesome! I will put all links to show notes, and thank you so much, Rachel, for this was a lot of fun. Learned a lot of new things, and and thank you so much for taking your time and sharing your wisdom.

Unknown: 53:35

It's been a pleasure. Thank you.