Good Food Lessons

I'm not being paid to promote these guys, so let me just preamble that the following are my thoughts, shared freely and for insufficient compensation ;)

We joined GoodFood about 6 months ago, because we could score two free dinners and check them out.  At the time, everyone was raving about meal kit services, and there were like 5 of them sending us junk mail every week.

Since then, however, we haven't really been taking advantage of this service, mostly because it becomes kind of expensive to pay over $40/meal (when realistically, it costs half of that for all three of us to eat most of the time), and a lot of their recipes aren't foods that Little L would like, anyway.

But we figured that this weird flex week between Christmas and New Year's was the perfect time to give it a go again; we haven't kicked off the new school term yet, our lessons and services are still on break (read: no need to go out!), and the recipes offered happened to align with my kid's tastes.  I'm so glad we ordered.  We probably still won't do this weekly, but on occasion, it's an amazing and educational experience for my kid, and it's also pretty great for me.  Here's why:

1) Literacy Skills
Little L was my sous chef, so she had to read the step-by-step instructions to me multiple times.  Purposeful reading meant that she didn't even mind having to repeat herself a few times, because my memory sucks and I kept "forgetting" what was next ;)

2) Bonding Time
Nothing like some mama-and-me cooking time to give us quality moments together, that didn't involve any screens.  Sure, I could probably do this with a regular meal on any given day, too, but I don't usually provide a colour-photo, step-by-step recipe printed on glossy paper when I cook.  And I most definitely wouldn't be trying out these fancy recipes ;). So the engagement for Little L is amped up by the set up of this meal kit.

3) Cooking and Motor Skills
My 7-year-old isn't really allowed to use a sharp knife yet, but she is allowed to chop with a lettuce knife and a kid knife.  She also knows how to pour and measure and mix and stir.  All of these are great kitchen skills that she would normally not want to practise, but in the context of our cooking this special meal together, she was totally on board.  And so, she was my little helper; she did everything that I figured was age and ability-appropriate, while I handled the heavy cast iron cookware and the gas stove stuff.  It gave her opportunities to practise her fine motor skills and also strengthen her hands.

4) Home Learning Materials 
Maybe it's the frugal Asian in me, but these meal delivery kits pre-chop and pre-measure stuff for you, so sauces and liquids are delivered in cute, reusable plastic containers.  The box carrying all of the goodies is also a sturdy cardboard that's lined with foil-gilded, thermal cardboard rectangles.  When I see these things, I see resources for other experiments, or crafts, or art projects.  Nothing is wasted here, my friends, not even the plastic baggies!  We repurpose with passion! :)

5) Diversifying a Palette
Little L is a picky eater.  She likes what she likes, and depending on her mood, she may be quite hostile to the idea of trying something new.  With Good Food, or some of these other meal kit services, you can pre-select what you want from their week's recipes, and giving my kid control and choice is always a good thing.  If she picks it, she will try it.

Tonight was delivery night, and also cooking night since my girl was too excited to wait.  We made a veggie skillet lasagna (which was supposed to contain ground beef, but since Little L is vegetarian and Hubby has gone pescatarian, I omitted it) with zucchini, kale, and basil.  It was delicious, and my kid ate the bulk of her plate.  Next up we will have a broccoli salad and a spinach and bocconcini pizza.

I figure that if I don't order every week, the weeks that I do get a meal kit will end up being novelty experiences for her, and Little L will be enthusiastic about participating.

I also happen to have 3 *free* breakfasts and dinners to give away to the first 3 people who want to give them a try. :)  And I think I have a referral code too, somewhere, if you're interested.