Children ages 7 to 17 will have fun learning their way around the kitchen with a new cooking and recipe book available from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

"The ‘Fresh from Florida Kids’ Kitchen’ is designed for kids and their parents to use together," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said. "Children who learn to cook at an early age will possess a basic skill that will last a lifetime."

The cooking guide contains: a glossary of kitchen and cooking terms; explanations of how and when to use various cooking tools; cooking fundamentals; tips on safety and cleanliness; and seasonal availability of fresh Florida fruits and vegetables.

Once they have explored the basics of cooking, children and their parents can try out the book’s 23 breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes. The "kid-friendly" recipes, which feature a variety of Florida agricultural products, were developed by culinary experts with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and include such dishes as "All-American Vegetable Soup," "Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing and Veggie Dip," "Orange Chicken Stir Fry," "Squashed Lasagna" and "Strawberry Dessert Pizza."

"Cooking provides kids with an opportunity for creativity, an avenue to self-reliance, and insights into the natural world from which food comes," Bronson said. "Buying, handling, preparing and tasting food are the keys to successful learning."