This week's Bite: The kids are cooking and all is not good!

Zoya Sahrawat makes a favourite salad

Oh boy, I'm stepping on thin ice this week. We have kids in the kitchen cooking with sugar and food colouring to make boredom-busting

school holiday treats

and Mikki Williden

talking ADHD

and how eliminating sugar and additives from the diet can assist in managing symptoms.

We are all about balance here at

Bite

and believe it's okay for those without sensitivities or allergies to have the odd

bright blue sugary treat

, as long as it is not part of the norm; ie it's a school holiday or birthday party treat. I was expecting Mikki to have her own allergic reaction when I mentioned this week's mix but no, she said, "The experience kids get in the kitchen is important in helping them to understand how things are made. A homemade flour/sugar bomb is definitely less processed and if kids are making these things alongside something nutritious then that's fine. Social connections and family time come into it too. And kids who might feel academically challenged could get the opportunity to shine here."

Chocolate peanut caramel ice blocks

If popping the little darlings down for a movie or two this week set them to task in the kitchen making

snacks to match their movie

of choice. They're sure to have as much fun making them as Nikki Birrell did writing them.

Later in the week you could get the kids on to making their own

cinnamon and coconut sugar muesli bars

or

carrot, cashew and coconut balls

for their lunchboxes and they might be keen to help use any excess feijoas you have. Peter Gordon is full of good ideas on

what to do with and how to freeze feijoas

.

For dinner tonight make Zoya and Sid Sahrawat's

calamari, apple and cucumber salad

or give everyone a heart-healthy dose of iron with a

farm-raised venison salad with beetroot and feta

. Come Wednesday, you'll need our

Anzac baking

recipe collection.