One of the things I've learned about how to get kids excited about food is to not only have them help in making a meal or dish, but to have them also help in picking out the ingredients. That way, they can understand the process of making something and getting to enjoy it afterwards! Today I'm sharing my take on one of the easiest (and fun!) desserts to make with kids…Eton Mess! This English dessert is known for combining cream, fruit (usually strawberries and bananas), and meringues. With strawberries in prime season here in Los Angeles, we created a summery version of it…

With strawberries being at their prime right now, we took a trip to our local farmer's market to pick up fresh strawberries. We usually take a weekly trip to the market whenever we can. This particular week, Bob was out of town for work, so I was on my own with both kids which can be hard to manage at something as open as a farmer's market. To keep my wild child, Coco, at arm's distance, I kept her close on my back in a carrier. Our friends (and long-time partner), Ergobaby, just released this new Adapt carrier which allows you to wear your babe (from newborn 7 to 40lbs) on your front, side, or back, all without an infant insert. Coco loved being on the back so she could still see everything that was going on and snack on strawberries (and make a huge mess!) along the way.

Afterwards, we came home to make our Eton Mess.

Here's what you'll need:

– 1 cup sliced strawberries

– 1 cup sliced apricots

– 1/4 cup slivered almonds

– 1/4 cup toasted coconut

– 1 cup crumbled meringues

– 2 cups of heavy whipping cream (beaten with a hand mixer till peeks form and turns into whipped cream) then add sugar or agave to your liking. Or you can make your life a little easier and use store-bought whipped cream.

Now comes the fun part! Place the whipped cream in large bowl and put all the toppings in separate bowls for the kids to easily access. We started by adding fruit, then adding the crunchier toppings on top, and then topping the whole thing off with handfuls of crumbled meringues.

There might have been a bit of a mess made and some of the ingredients eaten in the process, but it was super fun for them to be a part of. Make sure to enjoy the Eton Mess pretty soon after preparing it, as the whipped cream is best when fresh and cool.

*This post is in partnership with ErgoBaby. All words and ideas are my own.

{Photos by Casey Brodley}