Simple Fish-Free Sushi for Kids

First things first: No, sushi does not have to mean "raw fish" and, yes, your kids (and you and your husband) will love it. Sushi actually means "sticky rice" and it has always fostered inventiveness. You can use chicken or beef, or even a plain, sliced omelet. The number of sushi fillings is virtually endless, making sushi a great activity for a whole party of budding sushi senseis, or masters.

Sushi scores very high on the "fun" scale, as making sushi rolls is practically like being ordered to play with your food. And then there's the dipping--eating sushi rolls with your hands is every bit as traditional and acceptable as using chopsticks, so kids will go to town grabbing and dipping the little bundles into soy sauce.

You can involve your kids with the preparation in lots of ways--cooking the rice, slicing the vegetables, maybe helping to whip up a plain omelet--but assembling the rolls is the main event. Itadakimasu! (Bon Appetit!)

A Philadelphia-based freelance writer, F.C. Mogul has written for TIME magazine, THE NEW YORK TIMES and other publications.