Labor Day is lingering in the air, and perhaps, you’re preparing an end-of-summer grand party or a small intimate get-together with family and friends to bid summer farewell. Whatever your Labor Day plans are, food will be a highlight, and for many, figuring out what the kiddos can eat can be challenging. Keeping it simple provides a stress-free day for all of the moms and dads to enjoy. And if your child enjoys helping you in the kitchen, simple meals make the experience much more enjoyable. This month, a local mom is sharing her go-to meal, one of her daughter’s favorites.
Stephanie Maddox has been married to David Maddox for 16 years. Stephanie shares, “We met tailgating at Auburn.” Stephanie has worked for a Vaccine Company (Sanofi) for 18 years, and David is the Fleet/Governmental Sales Manager for Stivers Ford. They have a 13-year-old daughter, Mary Olive, and an eleven-year-old daughter, Millie.
Millie is a special needs child, and Stephanie finds creative ways to cook with her in the kitchen. Stephanie shares about cooking with Millie and how she ensures Millie is eating healthy meals. “It can be hard at times making something Millie will eat and that the rest of our family will eat. However, I have a few staple meals that all of us enjoy, and I have some of her favorite foods in the fridge. I try to make sure we always have veggies and fruit for her to eat if she doesn’t like the meat.”
Fortunately, Stephanie doesn’t face many challenges cooking with Millie in the kitchen. Stephanie explains, “My mom started letting my girls help in the kitchen when they were tiny, so Millie is a professional now. Ha ha! She can be a little bossy and very independent, so I keep my eyes on her. She likes to help, so she listens to instructions very well.” When Stephanie was a young girl, cooking piqued her interest as she learned from her mother and older sister. She shares, “I think I was five or six when I started cooking in the kitchen with my mom or my Grandmother Pierce. I remember barely being able to see over the counter or the sink. My girls were the same way. I love that Millie helps in the kitchen. It keeps her brain active, and she does learn a lot.
The Maddox family has a few cooking traditions in their house. Millie likes to help make pancakes. David is the big breakfast chef, so Millie is his helper. They also try to make Sunday night a family dinner night. Stephanie cooks a casserole and fresh veggies since they are all at home and not at a school sporting event.
The kids’ charcuterie board is a staple meal in the Maddox household. Stephanie shares, “Sometimes it can be hard to do casseroles or big meals for a special needs child. I love that, with my version of a kids’ charcuterie board, you can use yummy, healthy items that a kid will love. You can be creative, so anything goes!
Kids Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
Grapes
Strawberries
Watermelon
Blueberries
Cucumbers
Gold Fish snack crackers
Nuts
Deli meat
Cheese
Directions
Select your board, have fun arranging the toppings and serve.
