Serving Up Salsa

For many families, one of the joys of summer is tending a garden. If you have a garden, consider planting basic salsa ingredients: tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cilantro. Even if you do not have the space for a garden, a container garden is a great option. You can start plants in pots inside and move them outside when the weather permits.

Salsa is simple to prepare and can include many different fruits and vegetables depending on what you have on hand or what you are craving. Gardening can teach children about where food comes from. Have them help prepare the foods from the garden and it will increase the chances that they will try different fruits and vegetables. Making salsa is also something that children of all ages can help with. Age appropriate kitchen tasks related to making salsa include:

At 2 years:

• Pick produce out of the garden
• Rinse fruits and vegetables

At 3 years (items mentioned above, plus):

• Add ingredients
• Name and count foods

At 4 years (items mentioned above, plus):

• Help measure ingredients

At 5 years (items mentioned above, plus):

• Cut soft fruits and vegetables with a dull knife

At 6-8 years (items mentioned above, plus):

• Wash dishes
• Put away ingredients

At 9-12 years (items mentioned above, plus):

• Follow a recipe
• Use small appliances like blenders and mini-choppers