Safe cooking with kids in the kitchen
Teaching children how to cook should be fun and at the same time educational. The perfect moment to spend some quality time while teaching them new skills.
Cooking is also testing creativity, science, and coordination. While kids are helping in the kitchen, there is a good chance that they start eating products which they disliked before.
We at https://www.culinaryambition.com strive to help people find pleasure in cooking and eating a balanced diet. We are happy to share tips to start with the little ones.
Where to start?
Shopping
Make it a total experience if time allows it and integrate the shopping for the ingredients.
Choose no bake or no cook recipes
If kids are already used to being in the kitchen with you, they probably know about the danger of knives and warm ovens. If it is the very first cooking experience, then it’s rather wise to consider no-bake or no-cook recipes.
Supervise at all times
Whatever the recipes you choose, there must be supervision at all times, even if it is just to stop the children from eating all the ingredients.
Kids cook books
Children’s cook books can be helpful when it comes to techniques. They usually have lots of illustrations that explain about the food and measurements. They are a great help to make this experience more fun.
Some recipe ideas
Devilled eggs – boil the eggs before the event, have some special cutters to make little chickens
Fruit skewers – you can make this colourful and fun with different kinds of fruits. Dip them in some melted chocolate and roll them into a nut mix to make pops.
Salad wraps – not all kids like vegetables but those who do, will love to show off their technical skills to wrap it all. Some sliced meat can be added for the carnivores.
Fruit shakes – mix fresh fruit, ice and yogurt or milk in a blender and produce different flavours and colours. An easy and very quick way to make the most delicious shakes.
Mayonnaise – whisking eggs and mustard with oil together to seeing it transform into mayonnaise is for sure something magical. Can be used in the wraps or later with some fries.
Dessert pizza – Get some tortillas and fill them with nutella and fresh fruit. Add some M&M’s for more colour and it will be a guaranteed success!
Safety in the kitchen
Apron
It is not a necessity but kids love to dress up and an apron is part of becoming a chef. At the same time, they will learn to work clean and it’s less work for mom to wash all kinds of stains out of clothes.
Reaching heights
Counter tops are usually too high for kids to reach. A kitchen tower is safe and stable and they will be at the correct height to help.
Knives
There are plenty of colourful, safe and fun tools available. Kids knife sets make chopping and cutting stress free with kids.
Whisks and spatulas
These are safe but it is important to have them at the size of a kid’s hand. They will be lighter and easier to handle.
Pots and pans
Always turn them with the handles away from the cook. Use potholders and oven mitts where needed.
We as adults know that food nourishes our bodies and provides comfort and strength. Food is used to express feelings of love, friendship and even sadness.
Besides creating memories, kids will start to appreciate how enjoyable meals come together.
Hello everyone, we are Yannick and Ilse from France and Belgium. We are both professionally trained chefs. Two decades have passed since we started our adventures together, and during this time we have cooked our way around the world while working and living the ultimate expat life in several countries.
After working in the best hotels and resorts, owning our own semi-fine dining restaurant and helping others realise their own culinary dreams, we are sharing our common love of travelling, a passion for good food and an appetite for high standards.
From Thailand to Vietnam, from Qatar to Abu Dhabi and Singapore to China… We want to make cooking accessible to all, whatever your experience and without complicated culinary techniques.
