momstown Milton Junior Chef "On Top of Spaghetti" Event sponsored by Barilla Canada was oodles of fun!

This month we were thrilled to have Barilla Canada sponsor our  monthly Junior Chef event with their new line of Barilla PLUS®!  This new multi grain pasta contains 14 grams of protein, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids AND 24% of your daily recommended fibre!

Not only is this pasta jam packed with nutrients, it is super easy to make in a short amount of time which is PERFECT for  our busy on the go mamas! In fact we were able to make a complete healthy spaghetti and veggie meatball lunch for over 30 mouths in less then 30mins - WOW!  

 

Upon arrival our momstown Milton moms and kids got busy in the kitchen at this hands on event helping chop and dice the veggies, grate the cheese for our garlic bread, pour the Barilla Tomato and Basil sauce and brown the Yves meatless precooked meatballs.

 

We were lucky enough to have Sheena our student helper and Ginny - head of the community services department at Longo's Milton help us out in the kitchen heating up the sauce, sauteing the veggies and cleaning up as we went.

While we waited for the pasta to boil, we decided to have some fun playing with our food by creating some abstract masterpieces with rainbow spaghetti. The kids were inspired by the vibrant colours of purple, blue, green and red. This is a great tactile craft for all ages to enjoy. Be warned that 1 out of 3 kids WILL taste this colourful temptation made with food colouring and oil.

 

We then had a quick lesson on how to eat spaghetti with a spoon and fork. The kids watched with amazement as I twirled the long strands around and around. Our helpers announced that lunch was ready to be served - perfect timing!

We honoured our meal with a rendition of  the song "On Top of Spaghetti" before we dove in. Some tried to mimic the demonstration once served their pasta but most opted to slurp and shovel the yummy goodness into their mouths instead.

 

 

The moms watched intently as the first bites entered their little ones mouths. Would they be able to detect the difference of the added ingredients like lentil and chickpea flour, flax seed, egg whites and oat fibre? I had already been warned that a few of our guests were picky eaters and not to be offended if they did not eat. The results were unanimous - Barilla PLUS® was a win with EVERY child and mom clearing their plate right down to the very last noodle! Some moms had to do a double check and one even looked under the table convinced that her child must have hid his under there while she was not looking.

After the event several of our participants could be seen wandering the isles looking to stock up on the Barilla PLUS® pasta and the sauce to have on hand. Click here for a variety of recipes to help with your meal preparation.  

A big Shout out to Longo's - Milton for hosting our moms and kids for this fun event. Also, huge thanks to Laurie Goodman Photography for the spectacular pictures as always. We have LOTS more pictures of our kids cooking in the kitchen on our Facebook Page.

Did you know that we run a Jr. Chef program every month? It's all included in your $45/year annual momstown membership! Sign up here: http://milton.momstown.ca/user/register to join in on the fun and be a part of our Milton Community Group!