Thanksgiving is only a week away!  Yikes!  Hopefully everyone is resting up for the big day (and the big day after).  Making Thanksgiving dinner can be so time consuming and exhausting and sometimes the little ones don’t really appreciate the lack of undivided attention from you, often asking if they can “help.”  Meanwhile, the older kids tend to be impatient, constantly asking when dinner will be ready. If you are looking for a way to include your kiddos in all the prep work for the big feast, if for no other reason than to stop the whining and constant questions, then I found some great ideas for you.  Thanks to CSAHM and Frecklebox for the ideas!

For younger kids the no bake route is probably best.  Try this no-bake pumpkin pie recipe.  Here is what you need:

• 1 package of vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 ounce box)
• 1 1/2 cups milk (preferably 2% or whole)
• 1 can pumpkin (15 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• (1) 9 inch graham cracker crumb pie shell
• Whipped cream for the topping

Here is how to make it -> No Bake Pumpkin Pie Tutorial  (While you are checking that out, be sure to look at the Pocahontas Pudding recipe as well.)

For older kids, try this cornbread recipe.  Here is what you need:

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup milk

Here is how to make it -> Cornbread Tutorial

I can’t believe how many great Thanksgiving treat ideas there are out there!  I would love to make all of them, as would my kids, but I don’t think that would be the healthiest decision I have ever made.  We would all have to go on a diet before we even got to Christmas!  That is why I love the treat ideas at Family Fun.  They have tons of kid friendly Thanksgiving treats and many of them are fairly healthy, like this Gobble Me Up platter.  Some of my kids’ other favorites are the Aut-yum Leaves and the Pumpkin Pie-sicles.

Here is what you need to make the Gobble Me Up Platter:

• Apple
• Clementine or navel orange
• Pear
• Dried apricot
• Peanut butter or cream cheese
• Mini chocolate chips
• Nut (we used a cashew)
• Dried cranberry

Here is how to make it -> Gobble Me Up Platter Tutorial 

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of water
• Prepared pie crust
• Mini chocolate chips or Peanut butter chips or nuts or jam or cream cheese
• Raw sugar
• Flour for work surface

Here is how to make them -> Aut-yum leaves tutorial

Here is what you need to make the Pumpkin Pie-sicles:

• 2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2/3 cup light cream
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Here is how to make them -> Pumpkin Pie-sicles Tutorial

Here is where to go to see all the healthy and not so healthy Thanksgiving treat ideas -> Family Fun Thanksgiving Treats