SPOTLIGHT
SERVED
Pizza Station BUILD
YOUR OWN
This DIY dinner is a fun and delicious opportunity to get kids involved in the cooking!
if they’ve even tried before. Variety is key. They can learn while they build. Maybe they haven’t tried black olives before but it’s an option for a topping. They can taste one before they put it on their pizza to see if they would like it. Or maybe they’re familiar with broccoli but they’ve never had broccoli on pizza. Let’s try it to see how it turns out.
One way to get your kids to eat better is to get them involved in the
process. Who doesn’t like pizza? It’s even better when you get to add in your own toppings. This do-it-yourself pizza comes together really quickly so it’s great for a mid-day activity that also serves as a delicious lunch.
When I was growing up pizza was for Fridays. My middle school offered pizza lunch on Fridays and I would be so excited to have pizza for lunch. It was the best end-of-the-week meal. Friday nights were often pizza and movie night too. Instead of ordering in, make your own with all the fixings you want.
I don’t like many hands in the kitchen while I’m cooking but if those hands are little hands that are learning, I’m excited for it. Children learn by doing and observing. Working together to prepare a meal, gets them excited for the meal in front of them. It gives
them ownership and for us trying to keep them fed, it helps them choose exactly what they want for their meals. Putting together a pizza making station can be pretty simple. I use whole wheat lavish bread which is already cooked so it toasts quickly for a delicious thin crust pizza in no time. The day before or a few minutes before put several different toppings in little bowls. You can have a few basic ingredients like pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni or you can have a smorgasbord full of ingredients like mushrooms, mini-meatballs, pesto, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella. The key is to choose some foods that your children will like and a couple that you’re unsure
Building a pizza making station can be fun for us adults too. A quick gathering for a game night and don’t know what to make, get your guests to do the work for you. Build a pizza making station and share stories along the way. In order to make this a complete meal that’s an acceptable reimbursable meal for the school lunch program, serve your pizza with a garden salad and some fresh fruit. The USDA requires that all grains served in school meals programs are whole grains. This is why it’s important to choose a whole wheat crust. Whole wheat lavish bread is tasty and meets this requirement. I like using lavish bread because I like a thin crust pizza over a pan crust pizza. Plus, it toasts up so quickly.
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