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O Rings!

While I don't make a habit of deep-frying, I like to occasionally indulge in making homemade French fries and onion rings. I think figuring out or knowing the "origin" for any food is important for kids. So I want Rocco and ChiChi to know that these fast food staples actually began as roots in a field. (And I'm amazed because some kids figure they're only available in the frozen food section or at a drive-thru window).
 
Drawing in the kids to help with the onion rings is especially easy. Even though I prefer making a batter from scratch, I've also used a batter from a baking mix (like one for pancakes) to excellent effect. With clean hands, the kids delight in dragging the  big onion circles through the thick batter. (Of course, dropping the rings into the hot oil is strictly adult work). Plus, they love seeing the results. In the end, one or two crunchy rings is all they need to satisfy (certainly far fewer than a restaurant portion!).

It's been my experience that the more appreciative they are of where foods come from, the more they're into a variety of foods in general.

Which keeps dinner plates around here -- with or without French fries and onion rings -- pretty clean.