Ah, children. To hate or to love. It's hard to find an adult who's neutral on the issue. Even our editorial staff is divided between those who happily tolerate them and those who steer clear. We understand that for some, it may seem heretical to associate the word "children" with "cooking," even as spectators, let alone as helpers! Well, we're inclusive of everyone, no one excluded. Boys and girls, too. So this article is dedicated to all those parents who love cooking, but also love spending time with their children. Because there is a way to cook with children safely—in fact, even more than one. Let's explore it together.
An important experience to share with your children
Boys and girls could cause confusion and slow down the preparation, There's a risk . But if you're only planning on cooking, perhaps you should look at the situation from a different perspective. Cooking with them can be a fun experience, a moment whose memory—hopefully—will remain vivid in the little ones' minds. It takes a lot of patience, of course, but if you approach the situation the right way, then the kitchen will seem like a playground (with its own rules, of course).
Cooking with kids safely: is it possible? Children love trying new dishes if they're involved in the preparation. Just assign the right tasks, such as measuring, adding, pouring, and stirring. They can also cook and sauté in a pan or skillet if it has sturdy tools with high edges.
What can children do in the kitchen?
The first trick for easy coexistence in the kitchen with a child is to Give them small responsibilities . To make the kitchen experience interesting for them, you need to understand which tasks they can perform and which things can be done with adults. For example, if you need to use basil, rosemary, parsley, and other herbs, Having them pick leaves and chop them up can be challenging . Even if it doesn't seem like it, most children enjoy tackling seemingly complex tasks like measuring, adding, pouring, or stirring.
Try to distribute exactly this kind of tasks:
- Weigh and measure ingredients;
- Free up jars, bags, move unnecessary items, or even clean them.
- Mix the ingredients, both with your hands and with utensils.
- Break the eggs, after showing how to do it.
- Garnish dishes, especially desserts.
Don't worry about getting dirty or overusing ingredients: it's important for boys and girls to learn by getting hands-on experience. Everything is cleaned, all the ingredients are bought again at the supermarket. And of course, everything gets eaten!
What is best to avoid
It goes without saying that you should keep knives, especially sharp ones, away from little ones. They can get seriously hurt. However, if you have dull knives or you can trust that particular child, then assign even small tasks like cutting potatoes, peeling carrots, and the like. From this perspective, you can consider:
give him a pair of scissors to shred the leaves, for example.
Avoid assigning tasks involving frying: boiling oil can be dangerous, as can foods that easily stick to pans when there's little water.
More child-friendly kitchen tools
Keeping children near the stove in this situation can only fuel their curiosity and desire to try new experiences. Always be careful around the flames if you have a gas stove: expect minor burns. Take the right precautions:
- Pots and pans must be sturdy and have high edges, and utensils such as skimmers or spatulas should be made of plastic.
- If the child is sitting, you need a sturdy chair with the back facing the stove.
- Try to hold the pot steady when the child is busy stirring and cooking the ingredients.
You can also consider getting some child-sized tools: Check out our collection of mini cookie cutters, for example!
And that's it! Over time, the child may enjoy this activity and become increasingly skilled and, above all, attentive, strengthening their bond with the adult . If you have other suggestions, we look forward to hearing from you on our social networks: Facebook and Instagram.
And if kitchen safety in general is very important to you, here are 10 kitchen safety tips for you: are you paying enough attention?
