The children are surprised at how easily things can be done and a skewer of tomatoes is exciting for young chefs-to-be. How to eat from a skewer? — You don't have to make things so complicated, but there must be some excitement and entertainment to keep the children's attention. Children need to wonder and be curious, says Frode.
The Ryfylke chef is passionate about children's relationship with food and diet. One of the most important things for him is that children learn to prepare food at a young age. Children today are exposed to a lot of food in social media and there is a lot of misinformation. Seemingly healthy and successful influencers often spread misleading content to highly vulnerable audiences. — It is important that children and young people have a healthy relationship with food and that they get involved in activities around food, says Frode.
— Include the children in the weekly planning, they must be allowed to influence what should be on the plate and they must be given a role in the preparation of dinner, whether it is setting the table or cutting the vegetables is not so important, as long as they feel that they are contributing.
Salmon on the menu
Every year, a cooking course is held by Grieg Seafood Rogaland during the Tomato Festival. In recent years, the class has been moved into Grieg Seafood's head office at Judaberg, which Frode believes has greatly enhanced the course and the experience. Here in the kitchen we get more peace, we have time for questions and the good conversations around the kitchen counter and the children's attention is focused on learning. They are given an apron and can use knives and other kitchen utensils, the children think it's great. This time, among other things, they learned how to cut salmon. All the children can now make butterflies out of nice pieces of salmon. They also got to see how old bread was given new life in the frying pan and they were introduced to how to make a tomato steak in 1-2-3. The aim is for the children to feel that they can prepare a simple salmon meal themselves.
Family meals must be given a more central role in the weekly planning. Then you can make smarter purchases and make good use of the raw materials. Include the children in the planning, when they get to participate it is easier to get them to eat what is on the plate.
Advice for busy families
The Ryfylke chef is very clear about what advice he wants to give in a busy everyday life. —You must think a bit like the chefs do, you have to plan. After all, we plan our lives a lot otherwise, you also have to do that with food. Family-meals must be given a more central role in the weekly planning. Then you can make smarter purchases and make good use of the raw materials. Include the children in the weekly planning, when they get to participate it is easier to get them to eat what is on the plate. The fish requires very little, short cooking time - seafood is practically healthy fast food. So, fish meals should be easy to include on the weekly menu, he concludes.
In a larger perspective
The socially engaged chef believes that introducing a sustainable diet must start already in kindergarten. The UN points out that you must eat more local food. People pick mushrooms and berries, in the same way you can, in theory, go out and fish your own dinner too. — There are so many good things right outside our doorstep such as tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes.
Regarding the new Norwegian dietary advice, Frode says that guidelines and recommendations are all well and good, but no one is following up on the dietary advice. — We need politicians who think beyond the next election.
Engaged children
The feedback from parents is that the children come home from the cookery course and want to cook a meal for the family. They want to show what they have learned and share the knowledge with the rest of the family. It can't get better than that!
The chef is grateful for the collaboration with Grieg Seafood. — The company has always supported the local community; they deliver on the social responsibility that they have. Many children in the local area have family members who work in the industry and the cooking class is, in addition to being an arena where they learn about short-traveled food, also a good recruitment opportunity, he concludes.