taste

Kids Cooking Club

http//www.kidscook.com

Kids Cooking Club is a "book-of-the-month" concept that delivers a themed cooking project -- including all non-perishable ingredients, a newsletter and more -- to your doorstep. The projects are geared to kids as young as 3 all the way to early teens. But don't worry about being saddled with something you don't want -- you can buy projects by the month or sign up for a three-, six-or 12-month subscription. By the month it's $19.95, which includes shipping (hint: subscriptions are cheaper). Sample projects for 2003: February is Everybody Loves Chocolate, which includes what you'll need to make a giant chocolate-chip cookie.

Kids Cooking Corner

http://www.kidscookingcorner.com

Sisters Hillary and Ali -- with the help of their mom -- are at the helm of this simple site. It has recipes, cooking tips and jokes (albeit knock-knock jokes). It's not updated very frequently, but you can sign up for an e-mail notice that will alert you when the site is updated. The site asks for contributions (recipes, jokes, whatever) and has a link to http://www.lightliving.comfor more sophisticated recipes for grown-ups or more advanced cooks.

Nutrition Explorations

http://www.nutritionexplorations.com

An educational site that introduces kids to nutrition through games, recipes and cooking tips. Learn about the Food Pyramid, be a breakfast detective and pick up a few jokes. (Operated by the National Dairy Council, there also are sections for teachers, parents and food-service workers.) This is a colorful, clear site that should be easy for kids to use. It's never too early -- or late -- to get kids thinking about nutrition. This is a great first step.

Cooking With Kids

http://www.cookingwithkids.com

Based on the book "Cooking With Kids for Dummies" by Kate Heyhoe, this site is full of information. There are recipes (Orange-Scented Couscous), tips (how to soften brown sugar) and an area for kids that does everything from introducing terms such as "whisking" to listing seven recipes for pita sandwiches. And, no surprise, it also provides a link so you can buy Heyhoe's book. But with this site, you might not need to.

Better Homes and Gardens

http://www.bhg.com

There's plenty to digest on this site, but if you select the Cooking With Kids category, you'll find tips for helping your child get off to a great culinary start. From reading recipes to kitchen lingo, this site is a wealth of information. There are quick recipes and sections that teach kids how to cook with bread machines, how to properly use kitchen utensils and much more. It's no surprise that Better Homes and Gardens also has a cookbook for kids, their "New Junior Cookbook."