In the Kitchen with the Kids: Holiday Helpers
In the Kitchen with the Kids: Holiday Helpers
This time of year many more of us are cooking and baking with little ones, including Kowalski's shopper Daniel Sherwin. Aside from instilling patience and confidence and developing real-world math proficiency ...
This time of year many more of us are cooking and baking with little ones, including Kowalski's shopper Daniel Sherwin. Aside from instilling patience and confidence and developing real-world math proficiency, Daniel values cooking with children as an opportunity to make special memories while teaching kids "a lifelong skill that keeps them from becoming dependent on takeout and frozen foods."
Daniel recently reminded us how important it is to teach our children to be safe in the kitchen. Depending on the ages of your kids, different safety lessons may be appropriate, but everyone can benefit from a bit of basic training.
Clean Up your Act
"While you may wash your hands without thinking twice, your child needs to know why we do it and when it is necessary," says Daniel. "Help your child wash his or her hands before cooking, after handling raw ingredients, and in the event they touch something unsanitary during the cooking process." Tie back long locks or wear a hat (like the pros do!) to keep hair from falling into your food.
Keep It Sanitary
Teach kids how to wash raw produce and explain the dangers inherent in raw proteins (meat, seafood, poultry and eggs). No matter how young kids are, be sure to teach them how to wash up after their hands or utensils come into contact with raw proteins and show them how to properly sanitize kitchen surfaces, including your sink.
Dress for Success
While you may leave shoes at the door in your home, shoes in the kitchen are an important safeguard against dropped utensils, especially knives. And while bell sleeves and infinity scarves are cute, dangling, drooping clothing and jewelry may dip or drop into food or even catch fire.
Stay Cool Under Fire
Speaking of fire, it goes without saying that a child that doesn't know how to put out a fire should never be alone in the kitchen. Kids of any age should call for help instead of attempting to smother any blaze. Teens may be trained on how to use a fire extinguisher (and every kitchen should have one), but every child must be taught to not throw water on a kitchen fire, as both water and grease and water and electricity are incredibly dangerous combinations.
Sharpen Your Skills
"Knife safety is one of the most important kitchen lessons for everybody," says Daniel. Show your child how to properly offer a knife to another person. Do not pass the knife; instead, lie it on the table with the blade facing away from the other user so they can pick it up directly. Teach kids to carry a knife only when necessary, holding it by the handle, next to their leg, and pointing the knife toward the floor with the sharp side of the blade facing back. Keep knives sharp, too, as dull knives are more likely to slip and injure the user. Keep them well out of reach and monitor knife use very carefully until children are comfortable enough to use them on their own.
Thanks for the reminders, Daniel, and happy holiday cooking and baking to all!
