Isn't it great to be Canadian eh? :) Gotta love all the snow instead of the April showers!!

We are at Lina's Lounge this Friday (Good Friday) for Easter Cupcake decorating 10:30am-12:30am, Go to www.linalounge.biz to see all the highlights for this great place for parents and kids!

Speggtacular Classes and Cookshops April/2009

Little Chefs is "In the Mix"
Spring is here and with that come April Showers, why stay cooped up at home?? Little Chefs and Orangeville Parks & Recreation are mixing up tons of fun in the kitchen for students and families. Spring on over to register for our classes and holiday cookshops fast as spaces are limited! Registration is happening at the guest services desk at both Recreation Centres.


Some spaces still available in the Following Classes:

Little Chefs Afterschool Cooking Club (drop-off class) 5-12 years
Wednesdays - Tony Rose Recreation Centre, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
April & May
Come celebrate Orangeville's first afterschool cooking club!. First learn the basics with kitchen safety and hygiene but then it is off to adventures in snack attack, breakfast for dinner, fruit fiesta, garden time and budding bakers!!
All classes include food/nutrition crafts, games and recipe book to take home.

Preschool-Parent Class (family class-one parent + child) 2-5 years
Fridays - Tony Rose Recreation Centre 10:00AM - 11:00 AM
April & May
Come share some special time with your preschooler cooking up some fun! Prepare a recipe together based on a classic story told at beginning of the class. Craft time is also included.


Spring Cookshops 5-13 years
Hoppy Easter Cookie Decorating
Saturday, April 11, 2009, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hop on over to Tony Rose and join our fun filled Easter cookie decorating class.
These sweet treats are a great addition to any Easter feast!
Price: $25.00 **

Mothers' Day Special Gift for Mom!
Come make Mom something she will enjoy on her " Special Day "
Saturday May 9, 2009, 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Price: $25.00

Father's Day Special Gift
June 13, 2009, 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Come make a favorite for your Dad to remember!
Price: $ 25.00

**Book all three cookshop sessions and save $ 10.00 or book two cookshop sessions and save $ 5.00


We will be adding new cookshops and classes to our line up so be sure to check the website www.orangeville.ca or call 519-940-9092 X 4106

Save 10% off your next Little Chefs Cooking Party for a group of 8 or more. Not valid with any other offer or promotion. Call or e-mail to reserve your date. Mention Promo code SpringPR09
519.940.1131 or info@thelittlechefs.ca
Offer Expires: May 30, 2009

Cupcake Bake For March Break!

Little Chefs…healthier kids one bite at a time!


2009 Sessions Have Begun!
Check The New Orangeville Parks & Rec Spring/Summer Brochure*
*Delivered with The Banner March 10th


Little Chefs Presents ~ The March Break Cupcake Bake!

What child doesn't like making homemade cupcakes?
Say 'good-bye' to store bought, instant cupcakes and say 'hello!' to delicious, chocolate, carrot, and pumpkin spice cupcakes from scratch!

Kids will learn one of the above recipes from scratch, plus discover the origins of the first "cup-cake". Each child will decorate their own home-made cupcakes with an assortment of real butter-cream/cream cheese icings and colourful decorations – this is the part kid's love best!

Little Chefs is partnering with Orangeville Parks & Rec offering a bakeshop class during the camp day for children aged 5-12 on Tuesday March 17th and Thursday March 19th 12:30-2:30pm. Included is a printed copy of the cupcake recipe to take home.
What better way to spend your Spring Break! Yum !!

Contact Tracy at Orangeville Parks & Rec to reserve your spot as they are limited
519-940-9092 X 4106

Look for all New Spring Programs in the Parks and Rec brochure that came out with the Orangeville Banner March 10th. Or pick up a copy at Alder arena or Tony Rose Arena.

Yours in good health,

Lori
Little Chefs

Have a Party that COOKS!
519-940-1131

March is National Nutrition Month!

Here are some great tips!!

Grocery shopping:

★ Let the kids help put the fruit or vegetable into the grocery cart
★ Teach them how fruits and vegetables gives us clues on how ripe they are
★ Ask them “What is this banana telling us?” “Is it ready to eat yet?” “Should we pick that
bunch?”
★ Teach kids to read food labels, as a great way to learn how some foods are better for you than
other
★ Choose cereals with low or no added sugar
★ Look for whole grain cereals and breads with at least 4 gram of fiber
★ Take an outing to a local farmers market to teach kids about where their food comes from
At Home:
★ Let the kids help put away the fruits and vegetables
★ Try to arrange the fruit bowl so you have many different colors showing- make it a game,
★ As they are putting away the fruits and vegetables, guess where they came from
Cooking Tips:
★ Involve your child in cooking and preparing meals
★ Limit the amount of added sugar in your child’s diet
★ Cook with less fat—bake, roast, or poach foods instead of frying
★ Choose and prepare foods with less salt

Mealtime:

★ Make sure your child eats breakfast. Breakfast provides children with the energy
they need to listen and learn in school.
★ Eat Together As a Family for at least one meal a day
★ Set a regular time for family meals
★ Eat at the table since it is easier to talk with each other, rather than in front of the TV
★ Actually, turn off the TV at mealtime so you can talk and share the events of the day
★ Serve water, low-fat milk or 100% fruit juice more often than sugar-sweetened sodas and
fruit-flavored drinks
★ Introduce new foods, vegetables and fruits at mealtime
★ Encourage your child to put a small quantity on their plate, even if they won’t eat it
★ Don’t nag, its okay if they refuse initially, introduce the food again in a few weeks
★ Demonstrate how delicious it is to taste that food
★ Don’t get upset if they don’t like the food or meal, don’t take it personally
★ Have a contest on which plate is the most colorful (fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of
color!)
★ Try new recipes, often kids will try vegetables when mixed with other foods or special sauces
★ Keep the salt shaker off the table
★ Offer fresh fruit for dessert

Little Chefs favorite snack ideas:
• Prepare snacks in advance and have them easy to reach
• Have fruits and vegetables washed and cut up for convenience. Kids often reach for the
ready to go snack
• Try low fat dip recipes for fruits and veggies, kids love dipping!
• Fruits and nuts
• Low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit
• Peanut butter and celery
• Low-fat cheese quesadilla
• Bowl of whole grain cereal plain or with low fat milk or fat-free milk
• String cheese and crackers
• Turkey sandwich on a piece of whole wheat bread
• Cottage cheese and fruit
• Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables or fruit served plain or with low-fat yogurt
• Rice cakes, whole-grain crackers, or whole-grain bread served with low-fat cheese, fruit
spread, peanut butter, almond butter, or soy nut butter
• Pretzels or air-popped popcorn sprinkled with salt-free seasoning mix
• Homemade fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk or yogurt and frozen or fresh fruit

Cook Up Some Fun Today!

Yours in good health,

Lori
Little Chefs

519-940-1131
littlechefs@sympatico.ca

Cooking Classes for Kids

Yahoo afterschool cooking classes are on there way!!
I have recently partnered with Orangeville Parks and Rec for some great daytime classes.
There will be class sessions afterschool on Wednesdays and daytime Parent-tot classes on Friday mornings!
Look for more information in the local Orangeville paper.....
Also forgot some great march break program additions with parks and rec programs already set-up. We will be offering a Cupcake Bake on two days of the march break program week. Making cupcakes from scratch with real icings too! Yummy!
Contact Tracey at Alder Rec Centre for more information. 519-940-9092 X 4106

Yours in good health,

Lori
Have a Party that Cooks!!!

Stay tuned upcoming Easter Event in the end of March.....lots of fun for the kids!!

Little Chefs
519-940-1131
littlechefs@sympatico.ca

Valentine's Day Kids Event

Love is in the Air…………………..

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching so why not come to a fun community event of shopping, valentine cupcake decorating and pottery painting
Bring a food item or cash donation for local food bank allowing entrance and ballots for draws
Great gift ideas and fun for kids and adults.
When: Saturday February 7th, 10-2pm
Where: Peekaboo Child Care Centre
69 Third Street, Orangeville.

Cook Up Some Fun!
519-940-1131

Still time left to book your February cooking party, some dates still available!

Coming soon March Break events ......................

Yours in good health,
Lori
Litttle Chefs
littlechefs@sympatico.ca

Do Kids Eat Too Much Sugar??

As parents, we try to encourage healthy eating and with the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, serving sweets comes with a feeling of guilt. Should sweets be limited or eliminated from our child’s diet? For the purpose of this , sweets are foods like typical cookies, chocolate bars, sweet pastries and candy. There are many differing schools of thought when it comes to feeding sweets to children. Sweets are not entirely responsible for the obesity epidemic we are facing. Fatty foods contribute much more to obesity than sugary foods because fatty foods have twice the calories of sugary foods per given amount. Sweets are however a contributing factor to dental problems in children. The following are some helpful tips when it comes to serving sweets to young children.
Outlawing sweets completely does not teach children the right lessons for later in life.
Depriving children of sweets often leads to curiosity and a fascination with that food. This will only create cravings for what they are not allowed to have and make them want it even more. The more a parent makes an issue of it, the more it becomes an unnecessary battle. Find a middle ground when it comes to sweets.
Make sweets a treat, not a reward
A treat is something that is given once in a while for a special occasion like a birthday party or celebration. You don't want to give sweets the "power" of being a reward. This power can heighten the importance of such foods.
Help them grow up with a healthy relationship with food
Talk to your children about eating sweets in moderation and explain to them why it is important to limit sweet consumption. Children who learn the importance of eating a balanced diet will be better-equipped to manage their own diet as adults.
Be a discriminating grocery shopper
Always check the label of the sweets you bring into the house. The more sweets that are available at home, the more your child will want and eat them. Avoid products that have sugar or other sweeteners high on the ingredient list. To find out if a food has added sugar, look at the ingredient list for sugar, corn syrup or sweetener, dextrose, fructose, honey, or molasses. When purchasing breakfast cereals and cookies try and ensure sugar or its other forms are not the first ingredient.
Control portioning and frequency of sweets
As parents, we determine how much and how often sweets are served to our children. Set limits to the amount of sweets they are allowed to have to ensure they are not binging. Limit deserts to once or twice a week and serve them in a smaller bowl. Make desert a special occasion instead of a routine and when eating out, share a desert as a family.
Healthy foods can be a “sweet” snack too!
There are many healthy foods that are sweet too! Serve dried fruits such as dates or raisins. Fresh fruits such as strawberries and apples are a wonderful sweet snack. Be a role modelWalk the talk! Children are like sponges and copy everything parents do. They learn eating habits from the adults in their lives. Eat the way you would like them to eat so they can learn what a good diet is.
Form good dental habits
Most importantly, ensure you insist that your child brushes their teeth after eating sweets. A sweet tooth can become a decayed tooth if good dental habits are not formed early on. The thing to remember is that eating any food in moderation is healthy. Eating too much of any food is unhealthy. It is important to limit the amount of sweets your children eat and most importantly, help them build a healthy relationship with all foods.
Last but not least get in the kitchen and cook with them!
When a child expresses their creativitity with their food they will be more likely to eat it. Let them have fun with food and develop a love for cooking. Cooking is a life skill they need once they are out in the big world!

Cook Up Some Fun!

Little Chefs Parties, events, lessons in healthy cooking for kids!

Book a cooking party for your next event! Call 519-940-1131 or littlechefs@sympatico.ca

Yours in good health,
Lori

Happy healthy eating in 2009!

I must apoligize I have not posted for almost a month. Where did the month go???
Well numerous cooking events, cooking parties, making shortbread dough-to-go, decorating house, attending Christmas concerts, Little Chefs planning for 2009............... Oh I almost forgot all the eating and drinking that has also happened over this month. Maybe that is why the delay!

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy, New Year. This year 2009 is going to be a great one!
Little Chefs has alot of things that are in the works for the first quarter of this great new year! More details to follow..........

Another local event at the Peekaboo Child Care Centre in Orangeville is planned for Saturday February 7th.
It will be great as we have partnered with a couple of other local businesses to have a fun filled Valentine's Event! " Love is in the Air"
Please look for all the details in your inboxes in the next couple of weeks.

Yours in good health,

Lori

Little Chefs Cook Up Some Fun Today!
519-940-1131
info@thelittlechefs.ca