As temperatures rise and summer break approaches, parents have the problem of occupying their kids’ free time both indoors and outdoors. Cooking is a fun and productive use of that time – especially on rainy days. And, according to a recent survey, 85 percent of U.S. adults view cooking or baking a meal or snack with their child as an educational activity. Involving your kids in their own meal preparation will not only give them education about well-balanced diets, it will get them excited about the food they eat.

Like other summer activities, parental supervision is a must when cooking with kids. Depending on your helpers’ age, interest and, of course, attention span, there are ways all kids can help in the kitchen. No matter what the role, kids will love being a part of this family experience and parents will love the help!

Our first recipe is fun but also delicious. It a ham and cheese sandwich but with strawberry jam. The fun part is that you cook it in the waffle iron! That gets the great criss-cross design that will make them want to eat every bite. I make lots of things in the waffle iron, cakes, and cookies. This is the first time I’ve made sandwiches in mine. It was fun.

The second recipe is a great way to get fruit into them. It’s also about the only way that I can eat Spam! Chop it up, mix it up and stuff it in the cored apple and bake. The kids will enjoy stuffing the apple and the get a good balanced lunch in the bargain.

The last recipe is an easy dipping sauce that uses a kid’s favorite food – pepperoni. Once this is finished, use anything you have on hand to dip. Breadsticks, pretzels, gold fish, etc.. Let them use their imagination. It’s a great snack for movie night.

Criss-Cross Ham & Cheese

Total Time: Under 15 minutes

Preparation Time: Under 15 minutes

Serving Size: 1

Level of Difficulty: Easy

1 Tablespoon Butter, softened

2 Slices Soft-Textured Whole Wheat Bread

1-Tablespoon Dijon-Style Mustard