Like a good meal, the Mattapoisett Library’s Kid’s Cooking Club wrapped up its first year with dessert.

The young gourmands, who ranged in age from 5 to 12, made ice cream sandwiches and filled their bowls with toppings to celebrate the end of the club’s first year.

But if you think the class was a sugar fest, think again.

“The point was to try to get kids to try things they might not try,” said library Director Susan Pizzolato. “We learned to be respectful of other people’s preferences, and also how to expand our own food preferences.”

Cooking instructor Karen Covey lead the class, which was funded by a grant from the Greater New Bedford Allies for Health and Wellness as well as donations from Stop & Shop and local businesses.

Covey used seasonal produce and developed healthy recipes that the kids could make at home with their parents.

“I really like when they try things that they haven’t tried before,” said Covey, who encouraged kids to taste everything. “I don’t let them off the hook when they say, ‘I don’t like it.’ I usually try to push them to try it. I tell them they can spit it out if they want.”

Classes ranged from making turkey chop suey to a cheese tasting in which goat cheese was an unexpected hit.

“A lot of parents were surprised at what their children were willing to try and ended up liking,” said Pizzolato.

Both Pizzolato and Covey said the kids responded well to unfamiliar dishes and enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the class. There were even a few unscripted moments.

For the first class, Covey brought a variety of salsas and several types of chips, among them blue corn tortillas, which were new to many of the kids. An impromptu blind taste test of the different chips ensued.

“I never imagined tortilla chips would be part of this massive outburst, but it was actually really fun,” said Covey. “It got the kids to close their eyes and actually taste it.”

Pizzolato said the class was popular from the start and hopes it can continue in the future.

“Eating is supposed to be fun, not something they have to suffer through to eat healthy,” she said. “That was the message, you can mix it up.”