"Cooking touches on so many life skills — math, science,
reading, social studies, history, nutrition," says chef and
author Cricket Azima, founder of The Creative Kitchen, a company
aimed at promoting culinary skills among children. And the
rewards are much yummier than a report card. The trick, Azima
says, is finding recipes and tasks that are age-appropriate and
set your child up for success. She offers the following
pointers. Choose foods you want them to eat. "A lot of parents
relegate cooking with kids to pizza and cupcakes. But kids can
help with pretty much any recipe. Even a 11/2-year-old can help
tear herbs. The more kids are exposed to preparing different
foods, the less foreign they are and the more likely they are to
eat them." That includes salad. "Start with a salad that's heavy
on fruits and vegetables and cheese, and add a little bit of
lettuce. Next time add a little more lettuce." And whatever you
do, don't call it salad. "Give it a fun name. I make a couscous
salad that I call counting cous