Do you take your kids on adventures? How about a trip to a maple syrup farm or farmer’s market or strawberry picking? What about fishing or sledding?

As my kids got older they had less interest in taking an “educational field trip” with me, so I rebranded these trips as Forced Family Fun!

FFF is a corny way to let everyone know that we’re going out as a family and that it’s not optional.

FFF usually includes some sort of hike/walk/wander in a field and it ALWAYS includes food 🙂.  For example- we’d go apple picking  and bake an apple pie which we ate right away, regardless of the time of day!  Experiencing food in a fun way helps to connect your kids to food and connect to you.

Snack: Old Fashioned Popcorn 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ⅓ c. popcorn kernels
• Melted butter
• Flavorings: salt, pepper, chili powder, ranch dressing mix, cinnamon, everything but the bagel seasoning

Directions:

• Add the vegetable oil and popcorn kernels to a pot with a heavy bottom and cover. 
• Place on a stove and heat to medium heat.  Stay close by!  You’ll want to listen for a sizzle and then the first kernel to pop!
• Using two oven mitts, hold the lid on and shake the pot side to side as the popping continues.  This is important to avoid burning your popcorn.
• After a couple of minutes the popping will slow down and remove the pot from the heat.  Wait a minute in case any last kernels pop.
• Carefully take the lid off, watching for steam.
• Pour melted butter over the popcorn and add your flavoring.  Only use a little flavoring at first, you can always add more. ENJOY!!