Beyond the Table #1: The New Salad Spinning Popper!

The "inaugural" post for the Beyond the Table series brings back memories! Remember playing with the Playskool Spinning Popper? A great toy but increasingly difficult to find, unless you inherited one from your parents like us. I was spinning salad one day when my (then) one year old wanted a turn. I knew he was good at the Spinning Popper so I let him try a hand at the salad spinner. Wow- I gained an extra 20 minutes in the kitchen! He was having a blast and I was preparing food right along side of him. These pictures are actually recent; since then he loves to open the top while it is spinning (not so great) or sneak a piece of spinach (great!).

Spinning salad is a good simple lesson for kids:
Leaves grow in soil, they need to be cleaned.
Lest they think they grow on the supermarket shelves...

Beyond the Table will be a new series on this blog that will showcase the many ways in which kids of all ages can hang out and help out in the kitchen. Going Beyond Prenatals is not just about eating healthy during pregnancy, but about going beyond pregnancy to think about pediatric nutrition as well. Creating positive kitchen interactions beyond the table encourages healthy eating and good memories. You benefit too, by always having an activity on hand! To read more, click here.