How To Build An Edible Cell

When creating your edible cell model the first thing to do is determine if you are making a plant or an animal cell. A plant cell has a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole which you would not see in an animal cell. An animal cell contains lysosomes which are not found in plant cells. The shapes of the cells are also different; plant cells are rectangular and animal cells are round or irregularly shaped.

Step 1

Cover the square pie crust with a thin layer of applesauce. This jelly-like layer represents the cytoplasm of the cell.

Step 2

Place the jumbo marshmallow in the center of the pie crust. This represents the one large vacuole that is present in plant cells.

Step 3

Place stick pretzels along the outside edge of the pie crust, going all around the cell model. This represents the cell wall which is present in plants, but not in animals.

Step 4

Peel apart a Twizzler and line the edges of the cell just inside the stick pretzels. These Twizzlers represent the cell membrane which acts as a barrier between the cell and the outside world.

Step 5

Place one of the small cookies anywhere in the cytoplasm between the vacuole and the cell membrane. This represents the nucleus of the plant cell where the DNA is stored.

Step 6

Scatter three to four raisins around the cytoplasm to represent the mitochondria. These are the power houses of the cell that give the rest of the cell the energy it needs.

Step 7

Place a small pile of Rice Krispies where they are directly touching the nucleus. This represents the endoplasmic reticulum which is used as a transport system in the cell.

Step 8

Place a small pile of Cocoa Rice Krispies where they are touching no other cellular organelles. This will represent the packaging and distribution center of the cell called the Golgi Apparatus.

Step 9

Place two to three wintergreen Tic Tacs around the cell where there is room. These are another addition to the plant cell, the chloroplasts, which are not found in animal cells.

Step 1

Cover the round pie crust with a thin layer of applesauce. This jelly-like layer represents the cytoplasm of the cell.

Step 2

Place one of the small cookies in the center of the cell. This represents the nucleus of the animal cell where the DNA is stored.

Step 3

Peel apart a Twizzler and line the edges of the cell. These represent the cell membrane which acts as a barrier between the cell and the outside world.

Step 4

Scatter two to three small marshmallows inside the cytoplasm. These represent the tiny vacuoles found in animal cells.

Step 5

Scatter two to three Cheerios throughout the cytoplasm. These represent the lysosomes that animal cells use for intracellular digestion.

Step 6

Follow steps 6 through 8 as above.