THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 TAG: 9609100048
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: 121 lines
OH, NO, Matilda.
You've barely learned to walk and here you are, home alone, fixing yourself a stack of pancakes. Never mind that they're all perfectly browned. That you leave behind no mess. And that you cook better than your dysfunctional parents do.
Toddlers, Matilda, should not be using stoves.
The precocious heroine of the movie ``Matilda,'' based on the Roald Dahl novel of the same name, is not setting a good example for latchkey kids, the children who let themselves into empty houses after school.
Kids are ravenous by mid-afternoon, usually because they pitched most of their lunch into the garbage. They need a snack, and latchkeys need a safe one. One that doesn't require turning on appliances or wielding sharp knives. So Matilda's pancakes are out, kids.
One trio of resourceful sisters took an original approach the first time they were on their own after school. They didn't use any appliances, which was a relief to their parents. They used the phone instead. The three pooled their piggy-bank coins and placed an order to a Chinese restaurant that delivered. Their after-school snack: shrimp lo mein and eggrolls.
There are safer and more economical alternatives.
According to nutritionists who specialize in kid food, snack time can be a positive experience, providing latchkey kids the opportunity to boost self-esteem and to learn about wise food choices.
Even the three sisters quickly mastered a useful lesson: Nobody's piggy bank can survive a daily takeout order.
``The after-school snack is a time when children can feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, a chance for them to make good choices on their own,'' says dietitian Mary Jo Haney. She is the manager of nutrition services at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk.
A child who's snacked on carrot sticks and peanut butter rather than potato chips will be very proud to report that to Mom and Dad, added Haney.
According to Sheah Rarback, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, there are plenty of what she calls nutritious ``cool cooking'' options, good foods for kids that can be prepared by kids without appliances.
``I tell my students and patients that a snack is a time of day, not a type of food,'' said Rarback, who is a pediatric dietitian with the University of Miami School of Medicine.
One of her favorite recommendations is cereal, as long as it's rich in whole grains and fiber, low in sugar and fat. When topped with raisins, berries or banana slices, a bowl of cereal and milk gets an even higher nutritional grade.
With a plastic knife, little fingers can spread peanut butter on graham crackers or rice cakes. And they can unwrap the many single-serving snacks available in supermarkets - like string cheese, granola bars, applesauce and pudding cups, small packs of cheese dip and pretzel sticks.
But young chefs can do a lot more than ``tear along the dotted line,'' and usually they want to, says Mollie Katzen, author of several cookbooks, including ``Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes'' (Tricycle Press, 1994), a cookbook for children.
``Children love to cook,'' said Katzen by phone from her home in California. She added that the latchkey hours present many culinary possibilities. The key to success and safety is planning.
``This part of the day needs to be ritualized a little bit,'' said Katzen. ``Just like parents set aside time for homework, they need to set aside time for planning after-school snacks, if the child will be home alone.''
Hunger is not the only pang a latchkey child might feel.
``Children at home alone are dealing with other issues, maybe wishing their parents were there,'' said Katzen. ``So parents need to seek out ways to connect with them during these hours.''
One way, says Katzen and dietitians Haney and Rarback, is for parents and children to look through cookbooks together for new snack ideas and then shop together for the ingredients. At the store, kids will feel empowered as they pick out foods they like.
``Not only will they feel connected to the parent,'' said Katzen, ``they will also learn nutrition, literacy and the economics of food buying.''
One section of the refrigerator can be set aside for after-school foods, suggested Katzen. ``Maybe then the parent won't get so many calls at work,'' she added.
With some planning, the snack menu can expand to include sundaes made of yogurt, crunchy cereal and raisins; sliced fresh fruit and dip; healthful shakes and sodas; homemade trail mix and granola; interesting sandwiches.
If a recipe requires slicing, cooking or using the blender or food processor, those steps can be accomplished by a parent-child team the night before. Recipe-ready ingredients can be refrigerated in resealable bags.
The age at which a child is ready to do Matilda-type cooking without a parent nearby is ``absolutely individual,'' said Katzen.
``I know a 12-year-old who shops and cooks for the family regularly,'' she said. But no child should be allowed to do real cooking, unsupervised, until parents are satisfied that the child has mastered the necessary appliances and utensils.
Small chefs will grow tall if they are invited to get dinner started before Mom and Dad get home, said Katzen, even if that simply means setting the table, creating a centerpiece, assembling ingredients for a dish an adult will cook, making salad dressing from a mix. Washing greens for a salad and drying them in a salad spinner is fun for kids of all ages. And safe, too. MEMO: MAKING IT EASY
Here are some tips for making your child's solo cooking experience a
positive one:
Set aside time in advance to plan after-school snacks with your
child. Look through cookbooks together for ideas, then shop together for
the ingredients.
Think cereal - topped with raisins, berries or banana slices - for an
easy-to-prepare, nutritious snack - especially if it's rich in whole
grains and fiber, low in sugar and fat.
Young cooks can safely spread peanut butter on graham crackers or
rice cakes with a plastic knife.
Try single-serving snacks available in supermarkets, including string
cheese, granola bars, applesauce and pudding cups, small packs of cheese
dip and pretzel sticks.
If a recipe requires slicing, cooking or using the blender or food
processor, do those steps together with your child the night before.
Recipe-ready ingredients can be refrigerated in resealable bags. (Set
aside a section of the refrigerator for after-school foods.) ILLUSTRATION: Color photo illustration by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN, The
Virginian-Pilot
Model: Wilson Rodden
TRISTAR PICTURES
Toddlers, don't try this at home: Matilda (Sara Magdalin) makes
perfect pancakes in the movie ``Matilda.'' by CNB