Cooking with Blueberries
Blueberries bring back memories of going wild blueberry picking with my grandparents in the backwoods of Alabama. Every summer I would go stay with them on their property and live the country life. I learned how to forage for different foods and visit neighbors who were growing big gardens. Those are some of my favorite memories and experiences I want my children to have too.
We just got back from picking blueberries at a farm about 45 minutes away. Picking your own fruit is an experience worth having at least once. There are a few fruit varieties that can be picked here in Florida and when we can, we do! Putting up that fresh from the farm fruit for the year gives me a sense of being part of putting food on the table.
Now that we are back from the blueberry farm, Abby and I show you how to make our Blueberry Explosion muffins. Cooking with blueberries in the kitchen with children is the perfect way to show living math in real life. Fractions, measurement, and chemical reactions are what cooking is all about.
Tips on caring for fresh fruit:
- Don’t wash fresh fruit until you are ready to eat it.
- Washing blueberries ahead of time promotes rot and “nesting” which is pockets of mold.
- Freeze blueberries in 2 cup portions so they are ready for recipes.
- Lay them flat in the freezer until completely frozen so they can stack.
Resources:
Learning to cook is a life skill that will serve your children for the rest of their lives. Dealing with spilled flour and eggshells now will give them the confidence to explore food and cooking later.
Let your child cook one meal a week or so for your family. Breakfast can be the easiest meal to work with. Experimenting is all in the process of learning.
About the Author
Holly is an author, storyteller, and Florida Master Naturalist who loves to share heritage skills taught to her by her grandmothers. Florida has been her family home for generations and preserving that lifestyle for the future is her goal. Holly enjoys coming alongside women to share skills and help them discover their own natural gifts and talents.