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" Want to make picky eating a thing of the past? Get your kids out of the dining room and into the kitchen! By making them a part of the process, you&amp;#039;ll not only share a bonding experience, but also spark an interest in food\u2014which, chances are, will result in more invested and adventurous eaters. To help you get started, we worked with WD&amp;#039;s Food Director, Kate Merker, to round up seven recipes that feature several prep steps perfect for little helpers\u2014from tearing and smashing, to mixing and shredding. So, for a special dish everyone is sure to remember, choose one of the recipes below and stick with our trusted formula: Mix one part patience with one part culinary know-how, and always serve with a side of love.  PB &amp;amp;amp; J French Toast Sticks  This sweet hybrid makes for a special weekend brunch or after-school snack. While you should handle the egg dip and pan-frying, kids can help spread the peanut butter and jelly on the bread, fold the sandwiches and finish them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Photo: Con Poulos/Woman&amp;#039;s Day Spiced Pita Chips  In a perfect world, kids would want to eat broccoli like they do potato chips. Until then, offer these pita chips as an alternative. Instead of cutting the pitas into wedges, have the kids tear the bread into bite-size pieces. Swap out the cumin for more kid-friendly combinations such as garlic powder and Parmesan or cinnamon and sugar. Photo: Johnny Valiant/Woman&amp;#039;s Day Easy Pigs in a Blanket  A perennial kid favorite, this version is practically goof-proof. Kids can handle both the chicken sausage\u2014it&amp;#039;s fully cooked and doesn&amp;#039;t require a sharp knife for cutting\u2014and the puff pastry once it&amp;#039;s been cut into strips. They can wrap up the little sausage morsels however they please\u2014no straight lines needed here! Photo: Kate Sears/Woman&amp;#039;s Day Crispy Chicken Bites  Fat-laden chicken nuggets will be a faint memory once these tasty nibbles are close at hand. While kids should steer clear of handling raw chicken, they can make the dipping sauce or help crush the cereal flakes (have them hand-crush the flakes over a bowl or place the cereal in a plastic bag and have them bang it with their fist or with the back of a plastic measuring cup). Photo: Johnny Valiant/Woman&amp;#039;s Day Slow Cooker Asian Beef Tacos  Try this wonderfully spiced dish on a weekend. The kids can help you measure and mix everything in the slow cooker. And instead of finely chopping garlic\u2014an adult job\u2014have older children put cloves through a garlic press. Finally, while you take care of the slaw, have an older child &amp;quot;shred&amp;quot; the cooked pork and then fill the tortillas. Photo: Alexandra Rowley/Woman&amp;#039;s Day 3-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwich Cake  A weekend sleepover or birthday party provides a great opportunity for building this cake together. Set up a small assembly line to keep things moving quickly, with each child in charge of one task: unwrapping the sandwiches, stacking the sandwiches, spreading the Cool Whip and covering the cake with sprinkles. Photo: Frances Janisch/Woman&amp;#039;s Day Berry Shortcakes  With no butter or eggs, this shortcake dough is ideal for young kids to work on. Have them get their hands messy mixing and plopping the dough onto a prepared baking sheet and sprinkling the mounds with sugar. Once baked, split them apart and have the children ladle on the fruit and cream mixtures. Photo: Anita Calero/Woman&amp;#039;s Day  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/a2543/get-your-kids-in-the-kitchen-119366/>