Safe and Healthy in 2020 #CoopedUp

I love my family. I have been lucky enough to be able to stay-at-home and with the current state of 2020, it has really come in handy. During this turbulent time, even my oldest Daughter is home from university!

It means I now have 4 kids at home full-time that I need to keep occupied for my own sanity. Chicken Farmers of Canada has put together a terrific resource, #CoopedUp, to help alleviate some of the burden of planning meals as well as safety tips to keep us all safe and healthy in 2020!

Safe and Healthy in 2020

Being that my youngest two are still in elementary, I have now added “teacher” to my many mom hats. I obviously valued the quiet time I had while the kids were at school, but that may become a distant memory depending on how long our current situation lasts.

That being said, I have had to come up with some creative ideas for keeping my kids busy during the days to come!

• Play a kid-friendly board game – This is really a classic choice that doesn’t get old. My youngest Son is usually loves being active, but I can actually get him to sit for the right board game.
• Bake something sweet – No child will turn down the opportunity for a sweet treat. I love baking, so this is an easy option for me as well.
• Make a blanket mountain – With enough pillows and blankets, having a soft mountain in your living room can become a reality.
• Play charades – Now I have to say that playing this with young children can be a little more difficult, so consider putting together teams if you have enough bodies!

A kid-friendly recipe that my kids all enjoy is my Instant Pot Whole Chicken Noodle Soup. It is not only a healthy and delicious choice, but also comforting. It takes no time at all in my instant pot and I usually have leftovers for meals later!

When you check out #CoopedUp, you will find fantastic kid-friendly recipes for kids of all ages. The section on comfort foods is my personal favourite! I was just mentioning to hubby that the Maple Baked Beans & Chicken would be great this week.

The recipe features ingredients that I already have on hand, which is perfect considering how bare the shelves are in our local grocery stores! For those who might not have all the ingredients, don’t be afraid to change it up a bit to suit your family’s needs!

Check out the Slow Cooker Meal Ideas also as you can spend more time enjoying your family than cooking! I would much rather lay on a blanket mountain watching my favourite show versus slaving over a long and tedious meal prep!

I can’t speak enough to the fact that the safety tips on #CoopedUp really lay out the basics of food safety. You want to spend your isolation indoors happy versus sick because of poor prep. Wishing you all well during this difficult time and keep it chickentastic!