Desperate to sneak a few veggies into your picky elementary schooler’s diet? The Portland Farmers Market wants to help. The Kids Cook in the Market series invites 7- to 11-year-old children to meet local farmers, learn about seasonality, and use fresh market ingredients to prepare healthful, kid-approved dishes.

“Research shows that when kids are involved in meal prep or cooking, they take ownership and are more likely to eat the foods they prepare,” registered dietician Jill Castle explained to Portland Family. It turns out that teaching children to cook has a whole host of other benefits too, from improving reading comprehension and math and science skills to boosting self-esteem and, you know, enabling them to feed themselves in the wild. 

Led by the Merry Kitchen's Julie Merry and the Portland Kitchen's Arielle Clark, each class includes a shopping trip through the market, hands-on instruction, and recipes to take home and share. Classes cost $10 and take place from 8:30–10 a.m. on Saturdays at the PSU Portland Farmers Market. Feast your eyes on the class schedule below, and contact Sydney Leonard at 503-241-0032 or [email protected] to pre-register. (Be warned: class size is limited, and a few have already sold out!)

• June 18: Kids Cook for Dad- Cheeseburger Sliders
• June 25: Berry Crepes with Whipped Cream
• July 2: Veggie Sushi
• July 9: Strawberry Freezer Jam (class full)
• July 23: Pasta from Scratch
• July 30: Peach Crisp (class full)
• August 6: Veggie Hash
• August 13: Summer Bruschetta
• August 20: Breakfast Tacos
• August 27: Parfaits