creating a kid-friendly kitchen

A majority of kids, and adults in America are failing to meet the national dietary recommendations for a healthy life. Many of them are not getting enough whole grains, vegetables or fruits, but are instead consuming more fats and sugars than recommended. 

Teaching kids effective cooking skills and techniques has been shown to lead to healthier eating habits. When we allow our children to participate in the process of meal planning, cooking, and grocery shopping, we create a greater interest in them to eat better!

Now this may sound good in theory, but as adults, we realize what happens when we let kids into the kitchen: they make messes, spill things and are always asking a million questions! If you want to encourage your children to cook and eat healthy, but the thought of letting them into the kitchen makes your blood boil, just take a deep breath. We're here to help!

Here are five simple tips to set expectations in the kitchen, keep everyone safe and create beautiful recipes and memories.

1. Set the tone

Before you start cooking, you will want to make sure that the rules of the kitchen are set from the beginning. And it's important that you stick to them very closely! Safety is always the number 1 concern. Here are some rules you can use:

2. Create a safe word or phrase

A safe word can prevent a child from hurting themselves or others. It can also be used to make transitioning to the next task easy. An example of a safe phrase, is  “Hands up” and whenever this is said they will have to put their hands up and away from whatever they're doing!

3. Overcommunicate

Children genuinely like to learn but sometimes they forget to listen. Overcommunicating what you will be doing in the kitchen and why you're doing it can help a child stay focused and understand. Narrate that you are chopping, or peeling or washing! This will help the session go smoothly like soup! 

4. Look at the recipe ahead of time

Take some time to look ahead at the recipe and already have in mind the steps you'll need to take. Think about how you can divide tasks among yourself and your children! 

5. Prepare your supplies and ingredients

To get ready to cook, try to have some of these items on hand to prepare!

• Aprons -  Having an apron on can help a child get into cooking mode as well as keep them safe from hot splashes or at the very least it will keep them clean! 
• Garbage bin - Have your trash can nearby and readily available
• Ingredients - Take time before you cook to set all of your ingredients out ahead of time. This will allow for quick transitions and make less time for children to get antsy

Making sure that your kitchen is child-proof is also important for avoiding injuries. You can learn how to do that by reading our safety guide for childproofing your kitchen today. 

cooking with confidence: choosing age-appropriate tasks for your little chef

Learning how to cook is an important skill for kids and can help them to improve their nutrition. Being safe in the kitchen is just as important. So here is a list of appropriate things kids can do to help based on their age!

Remember that kids are all at different stages and you should know what your child may or may not be ready for!