Ask your kids to think up a menu in all one color and then help you make it. Or, ask your kids to think up a menu that has all five tastes — bitter, sweet, sour, salty and umami — and help you make it. For example, you can make pasta with roasted vegetables (salted), adding a sprinkle of Parmesan (unami). For an appetizer, try an olive (bitter) tapenade by mixing olive, capers, lemon juice (sour), garlic and olive oil in a food processor and then spreading on crackers. Cookies for dessert would give you a 5th taste sensation!

This idea is adapted from Anne Fishel’s book, Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for Healthier Families and Happier Kids, available from Harper Collins.