Friday, February 18, 2011

LA Food Truck Adventure + Iron Chef America = Kids Off The Couch


We have to smile secretly when we see our kids getting all excited about Iron Chef America and other cooking shows on TV. First, because we remember our own childhood when we typically wouldn't have been caught dead in the kitchen (and when foods like mangoes, sweet onions and goat cheese would not have been found in our local supermarkets). And second, because seeing the kids excited about cooking can only be a step away from them learning to cook -- right? In a world where fast food is abundant and the microwave can sometimes seem too slow, there's nothing like watching your kids develop skills like baking, basting and marinating. Sampling the foods of different cultures is one of the bonuses of living in Southern California, so we spent an afternoon chasing the best of L.A.'s Food Trucks - those trendy versions of the old school taco trucks commonly seen at construction sites. From comfort foods like grilled cheese and fried chicken, to ethnic goodies like Korean BBQ and Israeli Couscous, to fabulous desserts galore, the food trucks have something for everyone. Our kids tried new tastes (chocolate/chili ice cream, anyone?) and stepped out of their culinary comfort zones. The best of all? We didn't pay “sit down” dinner prices for some of the best food our city has to offer!

Click here for more tasty bits of wisdom including our favorite LA Food Trucks and staging your own Iron Chef competition!