Cooking With Your Kids--playing It Safe In The Kitchen
Children like to be grown ups and be little chefs in the kitchen. They want to be a part of things and feel important.
Meal planning and preparation as a family is creating some fun memories both for you and your child. It's a good idea to get your kids involved in cooking the family meals at an early age not only for educational purposes...but for family bonding as well.
However, the primary factor for your little chef is of course "safety." Reinforcement of some basic safety rules need to be set.
Below are some basic rules to get you and your child cooking together safely
1) Keep long hair tied back and sleeves rolled up. Hair can easily end up in your prepared food and long bulky sleeves can easily catch fire
2) It's imperative for your children to thoroughly wash their hands before even thinking of handling any food products. The same goes for when they are finished in the kitchen.
3) Explain the safety hazards around the stove while cooking. It's important that you not let your very young chefs help you cook things on the stove. There are many other things they can do to help you.
For example: washing fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, adding ingredients in the mixing bowl, and even manually stirring the ingredients, (with a little help from Mom if need be). Also it helps them feel special if you let them help you set the dinner table.
4) Don't let your little ones use sharp knives, food processors, or mixers. These kitchen tools are far too dangerous for your child's little fingers. It's best you let an older sibling or you, yourself do the chopping. Also keep a close eye out for those fingers grabbing any knives or kitchen utensils and walking off with them. A fall with something as dangerous as a knife or other utensil can result in a serious injury.
5) Keep plenty of pot holders and oven mitts close by. Display how they are to be used on anything that comes out of the oven or microwave. Once your children are old enough to use the stove and microwave, they will remember how and what they are used for.
6) Always clean up any messes when they are made and not wait until later. Get your kids in a good habit of cleaning as they cook. Putting off tidying up your messes until after food preparation is done only results in a very messy kitchen to face later on. Also, if something is spilled on the floor....if not cleaned up right away, someone could slip and get injured.
Tip: After you and your child completes each treasure recipe...try them, and always make a big deal about how delicious they are and pride your little chef on a job well done! This will make him or her feel really special and also will make them WANT to keep helping you out in the kitchen.
Have fun with your kids with cooking and preparing foods. Let them choose favorite dishes or desserts. Enjoy spending time together and even take pictures. It should be a fun, educational, and happy memory.
Meal planning and preparation as a family is creating some fun memories both for you and your child. It's a good idea to get your kids involved in cooking the family meals at an early age not only for educational purposes...but for family bonding as well.
However, the primary factor for your little chef is of course "safety." Reinforcement of some basic safety rules need to be set.
Below are some basic rules to get you and your child cooking together safely
1) Keep long hair tied back and sleeves rolled up. Hair can easily end up in your prepared food and long bulky sleeves can easily catch fire
2) It's imperative for your children to thoroughly wash their hands before even thinking of handling any food products. The same goes for when they are finished in the kitchen.
3) Explain the safety hazards around the stove while cooking. It's important that you not let your very young chefs help you cook things on the stove. There are many other things they can do to help you.
For example: washing fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, adding ingredients in the mixing bowl, and even manually stirring the ingredients, (with a little help from Mom if need be). Also it helps them feel special if you let them help you set the dinner table.
4) Don't let your little ones use sharp knives, food processors, or mixers. These kitchen tools are far too dangerous for your child's little fingers. It's best you let an older sibling or you, yourself do the chopping. Also keep a close eye out for those fingers grabbing any knives or kitchen utensils and walking off with them. A fall with something as dangerous as a knife or other utensil can result in a serious injury.
5) Keep plenty of pot holders and oven mitts close by. Display how they are to be used on anything that comes out of the oven or microwave. Once your children are old enough to use the stove and microwave, they will remember how and what they are used for.
6) Always clean up any messes when they are made and not wait until later. Get your kids in a good habit of cleaning as they cook. Putting off tidying up your messes until after food preparation is done only results in a very messy kitchen to face later on. Also, if something is spilled on the floor....if not cleaned up right away, someone could slip and get injured.
Tip: After you and your child completes each treasure recipe...try them, and always make a big deal about how delicious they are and pride your little chef on a job well done! This will make him or her feel really special and also will make them WANT to keep helping you out in the kitchen.
Have fun with your kids with cooking and preparing foods. Let them choose favorite dishes or desserts. Enjoy spending time together and even take pictures. It should be a fun, educational, and happy memory.
