I was initially thrown by salt as the mystery ingredient this week. I mean, I use salt in almost every single recipe I make, but how do you really highlight it? Well, after a little researching and exploring, I discovered there's more to salt than meets the eye.

Here's a good article about salt's uses from Spruce Eats: Six Functions of Salt in Food. Our bodies need salt so one use is obviously as a nutrient, but it also helps preserve food and enhance the flavor by cutting bitterness or enhancing and balancing out sweetness. And I did not know you needed it in yeast breads for proper rise and structure! I always thought it was just for flavor!

So, using that article as inspiration, I've put together some ways to explore salt's different uses in this week's activity calendar, which you can download here: 

Don't forget to follow along with us on Facebook and share what you've done too!

My kids have always been interested in food and cooking. When they were little we spent tons of time in the kitchen messing around! 

Now that they're older and we have a lot of activities outside of the house and more schoolwork that needs to get done, we sometimes forget to make time for cooking. So when we happened across the Mystery Recipe podcast from America's Test Kitchen, I knew it was the perfect inspiration for a series of food exploration and cooking activities!

First, a quick summary of the Mystery Recipe podcast. Each week there are 3 episodes focused on a specific ingredient. In the first episode, you get some clues and sounds to help you guess the ingredient. (Unfortunately, I spoil the surprise because I can't give you the activity calendar without saying what the ingredient is! But if you want it to be a surprise for the kids, don't say anything before they've listened to the first episode.) Anyway, at the end of the season, there is a mystery recipe you can cook along with ATK Kids which uses all the mystery ingredients! 

Now onto my activity calendar. I figured why not share what we're doing with all of you! I have compiled things to help you and your kids learn, explore, and taste each week's mystery ingredient. Click the link below to download a copy of the activity calendar for onion week and follow along on Facebook to see what we've done during the week. And feel free to share your photos with us!