When you mention cooking with kids, most parents think of spills, drips, stains and one big mess! But this summer, parents across the country will also find that cooking with kids, albeit messy at times, may have some especially sweet rewards -- including a chance to win a $25,000 scholarship.

To help promote the importance of cooking with children, 'all' laundry brand is sponsoring the "Small Chef - Big Mess" Challenge. The challenge encourages aspiring, pint-sized gourmets to roll-up their sleeves, gather their favorite ingredients, get creative and have some messy fun in the kitchen.

Children of all ages are encouraged to submit their tastiest, messiest, original recipe and photo for a chance to win the grand prize of a $25,000 scholarship, and an opportunity to meet and cook with celebrity chef Rachael Ray on national television. Five finalists will be selected to travel to New York City to compete in a cook-off competition in November. Based on the results of the cook-off, one grand prize winner will be selected and the other finalists will each receive $5,000.

The contest isn't just fun and messy for kids. Parents also benefit, as 'all' laundry brand is helping teach them how to make cooking with kids easier from prep to cleanup. The mess children make in the kitchen was a top concern of moms in a recent survey conducted by 'all.' And while kids and moms both enjoy cooking together, the "Messes to Masterpieces" survey found that the number one concern that stops moms in their tracks is the mess, followed by a lack of time.

An overwhelming percentage of moms (82 percent) said they would cook more with their kids if they didn't have to worry about the mess. And with more than 70 percent of children admitting to usually getting their clothes messy while cooking, it was no surprise!

The survey also found that nearly all kids (97 percent) enjoy cooking and almost half (47 percent) of families admitted that they would eat more home-cooked meals if cooking was a family activity. Approximately three out of five moms and kids both say that cooking together is usually the child's idea, but moms still recognize the value of cooking with their kids with 60 percent saying they enjoy the time spent together that cooking provides. Many moms (68 percent) even remember cooking with own their mothers.

Rachael Ray Teams Up with 'all' to Get Families Cookin'

Rachael Ray, a noted chef, author and host of the Food Network's "Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals" and "$40 a Day," is teaming up with 'all' laundry brand to kick off the 'all' "Small Chef - Big Mess" Challenge. Whether preparing dazzling dishes in little time or searching the world for gourmet fare on a pauper's budget, Ray appreciates quality products, such as 'all' laundry detergent, that provide superior performance without costing a bundle.

A judge in the contest, Ray is also lending her expertise to provide child-friendly recipes and useful tips for minimizing the mess in the kitchen to help parents increase their enjoyment and frequency of cooking with kids. Ray, who grew up in a family that cooked together, knows firsthand the valuable lessons and lifelong skills children gain by cooking with their parents.

"Cooking is a wonderful way to help kids build their confidence. It also keeps everyone entertained and fed ... especially during the summer months," said Ray. "I learned at a very early age how fun and rewarding it is to cook with my family, and the strong sense of accomplishment and confidence cooking provides."

Educators(1) agree with Ray, and also find that cooking helps children increase reading and math skills (by following directions and measuring ingredients), science skills (watching food transform after mixing and/or baking) and nutrition knowledge (discovering nutritious foods and avoiding fast food).

Tips From 'all' and Rachael Ray on Cooking with Small Chefs and their Big Messes

The following tips will help families save time cleaning up and will make their cooking experiences together more enjoyable:

• Put a premium on prep time. Prepare ingredients ahead of time, and keep the equipment list short. Sometimes your hands make the best utensils.
• Cook 'til you drop. Lay out a "washable drop cloth" on the floor (an old bed sheet works wonders) that can simply be thrown into the washing machine after cooking to help keep the floor clean.
• Make cleanup part of your routine. It's okay to make a mess, but try to begin your cleanup while your food is cooking. Good habits learned early are more likely to become lasting habits.
• Use detergents formulated for food stains -- To treat food stains, families should look for a detergent like 'all' with Stainlifters(TM) to get them out. 'all' laundry detergent is formulated to clean 99 top food stains, including barbecue sauce, chocolate ice cream, coffee, green pea baby food, mustard, peanut butter, tomato juice and wine.

"The 'all' 'Small Chef - Big Mess' Challenge encourages parents to spend time cooking, having fun and even getting messy in the kitchen with their families, while learning how to make the cleanup easier from start to finish," said Ray.

The contest begins June 20, 2004 and runs through August 15, 2004. Official 'all' "Small Chef - Big Mess" Challenge rules and entry forms are available beginning June 20, 2004 at http://www.all-laundry.com , where parents can also find special recipes and tips for making cooking (and cleaning) with kids easier. Entry forms are also available on specially-marked packages of 'all' laundry detergent. Five finalists will be announced in October 2004 and a grand-prize winner will be announced in November 2004.

(1) Educational benefits of cooking with kids were gathered from a variety of sources, including Heather Hoffman, Home Economics at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and the Kansas State University Research & Extension Family Nutrition Program.