If your kids, grandchildren, relatives or friends are nearing a school break, sometimes that's the best time to show an unbroken spirit when it comes to giving. Usually both beneficiaries and those providing the benefits come away from the experience enriched.

The food world provides lots of food for thought.

Helping one of the many organizations created to support families in need may be a memorable activity of closeness for your own family. Monetary donations, of course, are usually highly appreciated. But if you're an avid cook, you might also consider donating your time in that way.

Following are some ideas, from red-white-and-blue fudge to supermarket gift cards attached to one of your favorite recipes and a shopping bag of ingredients to prepare it. Much of what's involved comes straight from the heart and therefore is a budget-conscious way to give as well.

Food preparation, from cooking to creating innovative gifts or donations, can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun — and fast — as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to get into motion. These creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it.

Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you — and your child helpers — choose to use can't help but draw "wows." If they are instead coming up with means to deliciously donate then that's just another way it can be an all-hands-on-deck rewarding family endeavor.

Here are a few ideas to get started:

Volunteer for Kitchen Duty: If cooking is your passion and talent, offer to volunteer as a family to be menu planners, cooks or meal servers at future local events and fundraisers. Those who don't cook can still help with table clearing and dishwashing.

Supermarket Savvy: Pick a supermarket gift card in the denomination you'd like to donate and affix it to the front of an eco-friendly reusable shopping bag. In the bag include a printout of your family's favorite recipe, as well as the nonperishable ingredients that are a part of the recipe.

Baking for a Purpose: For those local organizations that have bake sales, create unique dishes.

Ideas for groups of veterans and their families might include the Stars-and-Stripes Brownie recipe that follows or red-white-and-blue fudge atop chocolate dried cherries, mini marshmallows and dried blueberries. The dried fruit, if also using antioxidant-filled dark chocolate, makes for a nutrient- and fiber-rich treat.

Kitchen Solutions: Investigate whether the organization's kitchen is in need of new appliances or repair. Approach local businesses as a family to make those donations.

Rallying Restaurants: Run a local restaurant drive to collect gift cards you can give to organizations that will donate them to families in need. Identify restaurants willing to donate the use of their banquet room for fundraisers.

STARS-AND-STRIPES BROWNIES

1 package fudge brownie mix (including ingredients like water, vegetable oil and eggs called for in brownie recipe)

1 container white frosting

1 small tube red decorating gel

1 small tube blue decorating gel

1 small tube white decorating icing

Small candy stars for decorating

Yields about 24 servings.

Heat oven to 350 F. Line 13-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil so the foil extends about 2 inches over sides of the pan. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Make and bake brownies as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Remove completely cooled brownies from the pan by lifting the foil; peel foil from the sides of the brownies. Continue as desired with options below.

Flag Brownies: Frost brownies with the white frosting. Using red decorating gel, pipe stripes onto the frosted brownie. Add candy stars in the upper left corner of the brownie. (This would yield about 24 brownies.)

Firecracker Brownies: Using a 1-inch round cookie-cutter, cut out brownie rounds. Stack 2 brownie rounds together, spreading white frosting between the rounds and on top of them. Garnish with candy stars. (This would yield about 48 brownies.)

Star Brownies: Using a 2 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie-cutter, cut the brownies. Place white frosting in a re-sealable food-storage bag; cut off one bottom corner of the bag. Pipe frosting on star-shaped brownies. Sprinkle with candy stars. (This would yield about 13 brownies.)

Photo courtesy of BettyCrocker.com

Stars-and-Stripes Brownies might make a perfect donation to an organization for veterans and their families.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "Cooks' Books" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.