This teacher's manual presents lesson plans and recipes designed for use with preschool children, discusses the need for early nutrition education, and offers suggestions for conducting cooking activities in the classroom. Specific ideas are provided to involve handicapped children in cooking experiences. Nutrition education in the preschool is emphasized as a good way to help children form good food habits and healthy attitudes toward different kinds of foods early in life. Preferred locations for the cooking center in the preschool as well as suggestions about necessary furniture, equipment, and utensils are given. A list of children's books that can be related to cooking experiences is included. Nine illustrated recipes are provided, including recipes for chili, succotash, and Chinese egg drop soup. Each recipe lists ingredients, materials, procedure, and preparatory tasks for the teacher. Lesson plans accompany each recipe include: (1) basic developmental concepts involved (e.g., counting and measuring, fine motor coordination); (2) lists of words and phrases to use during preparation (e.g., ingredient); (3) ways to introduce and prepare the recipes; (4) suggested expansion activities (e.g., discovering the sources and uses of heat); and (5) forms for evaluating each cooking experience. (BRT)