Cooking Safely with Kids & Teens
Here are my Top Tips to consider when cooking with kids & teens to keep everyone safe & allow for as much learning as possible so you can create truly memorable family experiences. Many of these tips apply to any age! Have fun in the kitchen!
When cooking with kids/teens be mindful of safety:
Adults: take a few extra minutes to set up a clean, safe learning environment. Read the recipe in advance, take out all ingredients and think ahead such as removing the tops of canned goods to reduce injuries. Always think through how you can reduce injury at every step of the recipe. Take moment to set up an individual station for each child. Create a fun, but structured environment such as ringing a Tibetan singing bowl to get the children to focus and be safe at the start of the recipe. Play music to create a fun atmosphere, but have a signal or word to immediately stop unsafe behavior to prevent injury. Many skills in the kitchen depend on the maturity, age, developmental age & height of the child. However, you can make many modifications for every recipe to make it accessible to have a delicious end product the whole family can enjoy. Most importantly model good behavior and they will learn from your example! Even when they are not helping, talk about how you are being safe in the kitchen. If the recipe is too complex or you are frustrated with their behavior, don’t worry, setting the table, sweeping the floor and stacking dishes are equally important for having helpersJ
Stove top: wooden spoons do not conduct heat = less chance of burn, keep fingers and wrists away from the edge of the pan, do not pre-heat pans to avoid oil splatters, remember they are shorter and their faces are closer to the food, keep pans on the back of the stove top, if using a stool or chair be mindful of being safe
Clothing: long sleeves protect arms, hair tied back, aprons & shoes on are essential for safety. Ideally, jewelry and nail polish is also removed (just like a restaurant chef). **Avoid cooking in loose pajamas
Scissors/knives/graters: keep at the top of cutting board, never touch without permission, make sure holding safely and using bridge and claw grips. During the recipe when they have finished chopping, Ask “Where does your knife go,” or “Great job remembering to place your knife at the top of your cutting board” Adults distribute, collect and wash knives. It’s a good idea to collect knives on a tray for carrying to the countertop by the sink (*never submerge knives into a sink). Adults demonstrate how to use scissors and knives and watch child using them. Give children only a small amount of food to chop at one time not to overwhelm them. An important note, is I’ve had more children cut themselves on cheese graters than knives, do be mindful. I always remind children that knives can cut their finger to the bone and I find that nearly all are excited to use a knife, are a bit scared, but also really happy to try an ‘adult’ task and many do better than adults. Lastly, familiarize yourself with the proper way to hold a knife and master the ‘bridge’ and ‘claw’ grips, which are the only way to hold objects safely when using a knife.
Floor: Keep it dry and non-slip at all times.
Cutting boards: stabilize them with a wet cloth or wet paper towel to prevent them from slipping
Ovens: children should not be afraid of ovens, but in my professional opinion children as young as 9 or 10 may be capable of loading the oven with adult supervision if they are wearing long sleeves, using pot holders and are very careful. Older children under age 13 can do the same and remove items from the oven so long as adults supervise and most importantly model how to load and unload an oven safely. **Always reiterate this, and do not expect a child to remember how to use adult equipment safely.