NORTH BAY -- The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has come up with a creative way to stay busy and stay healthy during the holidays.
A new virtual cooking series called A Cut Above The Roast is being posted to the health unit’s YouTube channel, featuring everything from healthy dinners to Christmas desserts and healthy festive alternatives.
“We are putting together these videos because our teaching kitchen is, of course, unfortunately closed,” said dietitian Alex Lacarte. “We usually have a bunch of families coming in and cooking together, so this is a way to kind of reach out to them, connect with them still during these times of COVID and then also just to kind of connect families across our district and show them how they can engage their children in the kitchen.”
Although Lacarte is the head chef in these videos, she said it’s her handy assistant who steals the show. Her three-year-old son Clark is front and centre, helping to put together recipes and show other families that cooking with young children is actually a good task to take on.
Lovely moments
“We’re all home more often and so getting your child to cook with you and teaching them those really, really important skills, especially early on, is really important,” she said. “Oftentimes, parents are intimidated, especially with kids as young as Clark, who’s only three, to get them in the kitchen and really involved. But they’re very capable and it’s such lovely moments to have them in the kitchen with you, lots of learning experiences, lots of ways to connect.”
So far, the health unit has posted five videos with Clark starring in most of them. The plan moving forward is to continue the virtual presence for at least a year.
“Because I’m the only one here, I’m videotaping it, I’m watching him, making sure the ingredients are right and all that stuff so it’s definitely busy," Lacarte said. "But looking back on it, with all the work I put into it, it’s so worth it and it’s been a lot of fun.”
As far as advice goes for families who want to add baking or cooking to their schedule, she said prepare ahead of time, expect a mess and just “roll with whatever they’re doing.”
“(The videos) will be successful if even just a couple of families get out and are encouraged to cook with their kids," she said. "It’s such an important skill and it’s really important to get them involved.”
For Clark, he also enjoys being included and helping out.
“I like mixing,” he said.
Grinch snacks
Right now, with Christmas quickly approaching, the pair has been focusing on festive treats. Including Grinch snacks, which help put a healthy spin on holiday food.
“Grapes, nanas (bananas), strawberries and marshmallows” are the only four ingredients explained Clark, who quickly ate all the samples in front of him.
With the holidays expected to look different this year, healthy eating should still be a priority.
“We often overindulge in the holiday season and I’m not sure that’s going to happen as much this year because we’re all home,” said Lacarte. “We don’t have as many meals we’ll be going to, we won’t be running off to different households to enjoy different family meals. So what we’re encouraging is just to really enjoy the family that you have in your household, make special foods, enjoy them and you know, reach out to other family members.”
However, when it comes to Santa’s big visit, Clark said that cookies will still be his treat of choice.
“Chocolate chip!” he said, adding that they might even make some oatmeal to put outside for the reindeer.
