Cooking with young kids can be a mess, but embracing this idea is the point of Mark Bittman's new cookbook. In How to Cook Everything Kids, the journalist and author makes the case that inviting young chefs into the kitchen is the best way to get them curious about food. The book is filled with child-friendly recipes for dishes like baked ziti, pizza and blueberry muffins that make use of playful ingredients, including Corn Flakes. In today's episode, Bittman joins NPR's Ayesha Rascoe at home to cook a meal with her three kids, putting his recipes to the test. Together, they prepare two chicken dishes while Bittman shares the inspiration behind the project.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy