A baker's dozen of helpful hints

By Jill L. Reed Orange County Register

1. Savvy shopping. Let the children help choose ingredients while encouraging them to try at least one new thing. The farmers market is a great place for this, with so many options. If children feel like they are part of the decision making, they will be happier to help prepare and eat new items.

2. Mix it up. Sometimes children are reluctant to try new things. But mixing those in with something they already love can help. So if they love blueberries, but you want them to try kiwi, put the two together. The same goes with vegetables.

3. Time management. Are you rushing around, trying to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes? This might not be the ideal time to get the kids in the kitchen. Because for as much as little hands want to help, the reality is that cooking with children can slow the process. Make sure to build in extra time. It will make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.

4. Recipe research. Cookbooks, magazines, the newspaper's food section and websites are great places for children to get inspired and find recipes to try. Another source that might not be so obvious: a children's atlas or globe. My son will look at the map and ask me about food from other countries. So far, I haven't been able to dig up a good recipe for Mauritanian food, but I managed to muddle through with Moroccan.

5. Make a plan. Knowing ahead of time what you will make will help make things easier. Make sure you have all the ingredients, tools and pans needed. Make sure the recipe is appropriate for the time you have. Read the recipe all the way through with your children so you can pick out the tasks that need to be done by an adult and the tasks the kids can tackle.

6. Broaden your own horizons. By letting your child take the lead or at least have a say in the meal plan, you might find some new things you like, too. Or it could be a good way to try something you thought you didn't like. Tastes change. As a child, I could not stand corn. But my son wanted to try it. So I got some corn at the farmers market, did a simple grilled preparation and gave it another try. And we ate a lot of corn this summer.

7. Choose wisely. With ingredients, buy the best, freshest stuff you can. With the preparation, know your child's abilities. Some recipes and tasks are better suited for younger kids, some are better for older kids. The idea is to have them do what is safe for those abilities. Would I give my 3-year-old a knife? No. But he is great at whisking eggs and helping run the food processor, with supervision. Things as basic as letting them help wash the produce can get even the youngest kids involved.

8. Dress the part. Children might feel more chef-like if they have their own apron to wear. For those with long hair, pull it back to keep it out of their faces so they can see what they are doing as they work. It's also good for safety and for hygiene. Kids like to have tools that fit their hands. Most cooking stores carry smaller versions of whisks, wooden spoons and spatulas that look just like the ones Mom or Dad use.

9. Set the scene. Smaller children might need a boost from a safe, solid kitchen stool. Or it might be easier for them to work at a lower level, with you having to come down to them on occasion. Sometimes the best place to work is the kitchen table, where there is some room to spread out and the surface is not too high.

10. Embrace the mess. It will get messy. It's children and food. Just go with it. If you cringe at the idea of crumbs on the floor, put a plastic tablecloth under the work area. When the cooking is over, any mess can easily be scooped up and tossed.

11. Taste test. If you are working with things that can be sampled raw, this is a great way to teach children what is safe this way and what needs to be cooked. If you are making a salad, once the child has washed the veggies, go ahead and let them sample bits and pieces of what they will assemble into the dish.

12. Keep it clean. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. Before starting, after sampling, after handling raw meat, poultry or fish, before sitting down to eat. Really, you cannot wash hands too much.

13. The most important ingredient? Fun! Keep things light and don't stress. Exploring different foods and preparation can help children learn about more than just food. It can be a gateway to learning about another culture, about the math and science of measuring and about good hygiene and nutrition. And as long as it is fun, learning will happen naturally.

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