My daughter loves linguine, and my son, fusilli. And they can just about eat their weight in it. Pasta is definitely the fall back meal in our house. Add a little butter and you’re set. No doubt, kids love pasta, and there’s lots of ways they can get involved in cooking it. Layering lasagna noodles, counting penne noodles or tossing bow tie pasta salad teach cooking and math skills. Then comes eating it–twirling linguine on a fork and of course slurping spaghetti are all irresistible for kids.
Think Beyond Your Elbow
Let you kids pick out all the fun, different shapes they want. My son loves bowties, fusilli and percatelli, my daughter straight linguine or fettuccine. You can also get the whole wheat pasta for added nutrition.
Carbs are Good
Pasta is high in carbohydrates and contains virtually no fat, with the exception of fresh pasta, which is typically made with eggs and has negligible amounts. Carbohydrates are pure energy for kids and they need lots. Those carbs come with B vitamins too. Combine with tomato sauce for vitamin C and lycopene or a creamy cheese sauce for calcium, vitamin D and potassium.
Ship Shape
Be sure to choose a pasta shape and sauce that complement each other. Thin, delicate pastas like angel hair or thin spaghetti, should be served with light, thin sauces. Thicker pasta shapes, like fettuccine, work well with heavier sauces. Pasta shapes with holes or ridges like mostaccioli or radiatore, are perfect for chunkier sauces
—By Jill Melton, Editor
This article was originally published as Using Your Noodle on Relish.com.
