Baby steps. Get your kids into the kitchen by first giving them simple tasks. Sandwich construction consists of little prep and few ingredients. Encouraging them to experience pairing different ingredients, like adding apple slices to a sandwich, is a great way to help them learn about creativity and experimentation with food. This is one way that Chef Alekka Sweeney teaches bridging the gap of the youthful flavor palette to one with a more adventurous approach. It seems simple, but you gotta start somewhere.

Alekka Sweeney is a Pittsburgh-based culinary director and baking instructor focused on dining curations and cooking classes. After more than 20 years spent in Chicago, her main goal is to share her culinary and baking skills with all ages and cooking levels. Her kid-friendly recipes are intended to be easy enough to give children some independence in the kitchen, encourage them to explore new flavors, and help them learn to prepare things for the entire family to enjoy.

TURKEY AND GRANNY SMITH APPLE SANDWICH RECIPE

Ingredients

4 oz Turkey Breast, deli style sliced

1 apple, Granny Smith-thinly sliced

1 Tbsp mustard

8 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 C spinach, or any greens-washed and dried

Instructions

Spread mustard on 4 slices of bread.

Add turkey, apple, and spinach to each slice.

Place another piece of bread atop loaded slice.

Serve with plantain chips, carrots or more apple slices.

RECIPE BY ALEKKA SWEENEY / STYLING BY KEITH RECKER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BRYCE / STORY BY STAR LALIBERTE

Try some of TABLE’s other kid-friendly recipes:

S’mores Empanadas

Strawberry Pineapple Agua Fresca

Homemade Marshmallows

Quesadilla with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo

Chicken Satay with Cucumber Salad

Peach and Corn Salsa with Tortilla Chips

Chili-Lime Popcorn

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