Kids are getting busier and busier these days with a myriad activities that weren’t even a possibility just a few years ago. Parents are getting busier and busier too for that matter. With the creation of newer and newer technology everyday it seems like our world is getting more complicated in an effort to simplify itself.
Why Cooking with Kids is Important
New issues involving kids have been arising lately as well. Childhood obesity and diabetes have been on the rise for years, and the traditional healthy and home cooked meal has gone the way of fast food and easy meal ideas. Check out what the CDC had to say about Los Angeles, CA students concerning obesity.
Why not take this trend and spin it on its head? Start with minimizing one of these new activities that takes up so much time - say PlayStation 3 or iChat - and substitute it with some old fashion culinary arts.
Cooking with kids and making it fun and safe can benefit them for years to come. Not only will they develop a great skill that they can use in the future but by learning the basics of cooking, baking and reading recipes they will be able to stay away from fast food and other unhealthy cooking substitutes.
Older kids in the house can also take some of the burden off of the parents by preparing or helping to prepare nutritious meals for the family. However, if older children do start cooking more on their own, safety guidelines and tools should be defined and kept throughout the kitchen like a first aid kit or fire extinguisher.
Safely Cooking with Your Kids
In the spirit of getting kids involved in the kitchen, here are a few safety tips for cooking with kids in the kitchen.
1. Recipe selection - Use common sense when picking out recipes. Older children may be able to use devices like toasters or can openers but don’t give a child a recipe involving blenders and ovens if they aren’t ready for it. Below are a few websites to find kid-friendly recipes:
- FamilyFun.com
- Home and Family Network
- Cooking With Kids
- Whole Foods Kid Friendly Recipes
- Kid’s Health Recipes
If you choose to undertake a more difficult recipe for dinner, have younger children stir room temperature mixtures, roll out dough or measure out ingredients using plastic cups and spoons. This way the risk of them hurting themselves is low yet they still learn useful skills.
2. Using knives - Spend some time with Knife training. Show children the proper way to cut foods with knives and remind them it isn’t like the video games show them. Younger children should stick to watching you use knives. Below are some knife handling tips:
- Put the knife tip on the table and raise and lower the handle.
- Keep your fingers together while holding the food to be cut.
- Keep your eyes on the knife. If you look away, stop cutting.
- Never leave a knife in the sink, especially in cloudy soapy water.
- Never walk around with knives.
3. Defining off limits areas - Off Limits areas should be clearly outlined. Going through the kitchen with a child and pointing to things that they cannot touch is easy and effective. Young children should not use mixers, large serrated knives, stir pots with hot contents, etc.
4. Clean and safe - Keep a clean and organized kitchen. Pot handles should be turned away on the stove, and hands and cooking areas should be kept clean. This will reduce confusion and potential burn hazards. Also, children need proper step stools to be able to see the entire counter or stir pots on the stove. Check out the sites below for more information on safe and clean kitchens:
5. Germs and bacteria - Watch the uncooked ingredients. Sampling your work in progress is okay, but not if it contains uncooked ingredients that could be potentially harmful. It’s also important to teach kids to wash their hands before handling food as well as washing their hands after touching raw meat or eggs.
If you’d like to learn more about eating healthy or using healthy recipes and ingredients, visit a few of the links below for more information:
These are just the basics of cooking with kids in the kitchen of your L.A. apartment. The important part is getting kids excited about working in the kitchen, baking and caring about their own nutrition. Get your kids involved, guide them through the processes and be the judge when they are ready and mature enough to start cooking things up by themselves!
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