Marshmallow Peeps For Science

About author / Christine Gable

Culinary enthusiast; kids cuisine and slow cooking; magazine recipe developer; professional writer. Her simple recipes are great for family dinners.

Have you had enough of malted milk eggs and chocolate bunnies yet? Perchance you’ve tossed out a handful of jellybeans just to get them cleaned up (Don’t worry, I won’t tell)? Any chance a few of those marshmallow peeps have ended up in the trash—you know, dried out and hard—or forgotten, amongst the piles of poly-green and purple grass destined for basement boxes?

If, during this week after the Easter-candy fervor, a few marshmallow peeps turn up that no one wants to eat, this column’s for you. I apologize if you and yours enjoy eating those soft, sugary peeps, but last year the kids and I discovered that marshmallow peeps make stellar science experiments.

Today’s column also touches upon one element that’s vital for cooking, yet one that we often discourage our kids from delving into—experimentation.

Things started out tame when we melted several unsuspecting specimens in the microwave, but things gradually took on an outright flamboyant air, with the kids marinating peeps in vinegar, freezing peeps and exploring peeps’ compression and durability via bicycle automobile tires (yes, there was even a peep placed precariously behind the front tire of Dad’s car—all set for when he backed out of the garage.)

It’s all here:
http://www.peepresearch.org/

Really, who needs the mess, the inconvenience, the hassle? But kids see experimentation as fun—and what I’ve found is that kids who are having fun are naturally more enthusiastic for all kitchen tasks. In other words: they’re more likely to help with the clean up. In our case, it took a good long time for the peep extravaganza to wind down, but I’ve noticed that the more open I am to fun, the more they offer to help do the dirty work afterwards. Make sense?

Just think, by contributing to the worthy cause of scientific research and knowledge, you’re also keeping food out of the waste stream while encouraging kids’ natural curiosity. And every little bit of food not trashed is a step in the right direction.

So go ahead—see what your kids think about melting some marshmallow peeps. It’s all in the name of science, ya know.

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Since you and your crew have probably had more than enough sugary treats in the past week, here’s a fresh and springy recipe that the kids can help make after they’re hungry from all the peepery. It’s a quick and easy lunch rollup that each can customize to his or her own taste.

Think ham and cheese, turkey, feta cheese or even all-veggie.

Serves/Makes: 1

• 1/2 teaspoon oil
• 1 flour tortilla
• 2 slices turkey or ham
• 2 slices Cheddar cheese or feta cheese

***Optional***

• sliced lettuce
• tomato slices
• broccoli florets
• diced cucumber
• 1 tablespoon Ranch or Italian salad dressing