Sanitation & Safety

Is there a perfect time for your kids to learn to cook? It's not so much about a pre-determined age as it is about their interest in cooking and their willingness

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

1. Create the right atmosphere. By that I mean you need to relax and have fun. Okay, maybe they've spilled flour in the floor and you've slipped in it, or perhaps they got carried away with one of the spices and you've got to figure out how to fix it. But with the right frame of mind, you can see these as funny events and not calamities.

2. Answer any FAQs ahead of time. They're bound to have questions so let them ask. Show them where all the utensils, pots and pans, mixing bowls, and ingredients are kept. Tell them there will be a quiz later and maybe it will help them remember where everything is the next time they cook.

3. Explain proper kitchen safety. Demonstrate how to hold a knife and how to cut. Explain what happens if it's not done correctly. Show them where the pot handles should be pointed when the pots are on the stove. Teach them about raw meat and the proper handling of it. If you could slip in something about them doing the dishes, that would be good too.

4. Pick the perfect recipe. Kids want recipes with pictures and they want the ingredients to sound good. Usually that means making something sweet. If that's what it takes to get their foot in the door of the kitchen, then so be it. Let them choose the recipe, but steer them towards the easier ones. It's not as much about the number of ingredients as it is about the steps involved. Is there a lot of chopping required? Do they need to brown or sauté something first? Keep your child's skill level and attention span in mind.

5. Make a big deal about the finished product. Your child is proud of his/her cooking accomplishment, even if you did a good portion of it, and it should be served with flair. You can also take a picture of your child and the prepared food.

A kid cooking in your kitchen is a good thing when you set the stage for success. Along with the right attitude, you can give them a tour of the kitchen, explain kitchen safety, and help them pick a good recipe. Don't forget to compliment your child and enjoy his or her newly cooked masterpiece. You've got yourself a budding chef!

Peggy Baron cooks with her kids in Colorado, and runs http://cookinkids.com, a website devoted to helping parents and kids have fun together in the kitchen. Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin' Kids Newsletter, a bi-monthly newsletter with fun facts, recipes, jokes, games, cooking safety, and cooking terms wrapped around different themes.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Web ChefJackie.com

10 Commandments for Kitchen Safety by Nonna Joann Bruso
10 Food Safety Guide Tips For The Holiday by Nahar Efendy Noordin
All About Restaurant Sanitation by J Stone
Bacteria and Food-borne Diseases by Richard Massey
Beef Recall - Fear When You Hear These Words? Food Safety For The 'Average Joe' Article Three by Angela Edwards
Botulism Recall - What You Need to Know by Angela Edwards
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Children's Safety Inside the Kitchen by Beth Murphy
Crockpot Cooking Safety Tips by Tony Buel
Family Health: The Dangers Of Food Poisoning & How To Protect Yourself & Family by I-Key Benney
Food Hygiene, You And The Law by Tony Palmer
Food Poisoning - How To Avoid It, How To Treat It by Avaraham Henoch
Food Poisoning Occurs More In The Summer - Here's Why by Valene Dubbelman
Food Poisoning: The Holiday Gift You Don't Want! by Harriet Hodgson
Food Safety & Food Poisoning by Bob Ferri
Food Safety.com
Food Safety for the 'Average Joe' - Article One by Angela Edwards
Food Safety Tips by Christie Will
Food Safety Tips for Carnival by Dr Deryck D. Pattron
Food Safety Tips For Rookie Cooks by Andrew Krause
Food Safety Tips When Traveling Or In Case Of A Disaster by Bruce Chambers
Food Safety: What are You Doing About It? by Harriet Hodgson
Food Safety: What is Hiding in your Food? by Marjorie Geiser
Food Shopping Tips - Save Time, Energy, and Money by Carl Copeland
Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
HACCP (Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Points) by Vedran Hasanagic
Hand In Glove - Is Your Food Really Sanitary? by Patti McMann
Handwashing, The Most Important Step For Food Safety - Food Safety...'Average Joe' - Article 2 by Angela Edwards
Home Food Safety
How Long Is Food Good For by Victor Epand
How To Ensure Barbecue Food Safety by Paul Yates
International Coordination of Food Safety Regulations by Russell K. Statman
Kids Cooking In Your Kitchen by Peg Baron
Kids Cooking - Safety In The Kitchen by Barbara O'Brien
Kitchen Conundrum - How Safe Are Your Food Service Employees? by Tom Knapp
Knife Safety by Jamie Rackenthaler
Microwave Oven Safety Tips by Connie Limon
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Outdoor Cooking - Safe Practices by Jeffrey Hamilton
Practice Food Home Safety by Andrew Krause
Safe Food Handling Practices - 10 Simple Tips for Cooking At Home by Lisa Barnes
Safety Precautions For Stove Use by Beth Murphy
Sanitation & Safety by Harriet Hodgson
Self-Catered Wedding Receptions: Food Safety 101 Ten Tips From A Caterer by Kathi Dameron
Starting A Home Based Catering Business - Regulations You Need To Know! by Jeremy C B Andrews
Texas Could Be At Greater Risk For Food Contamination by Patt Carpenter
The Four Principles Of Good Food Hygiene by Andrew Routledge
The United States Food and Drug Administration and NAFTA by Russel K Statman
Two Of The Greatest Risks Your Restaurant Faces by Patrick Nolan
Understanding Food Safety of Home Made Jerky by Tommy Stabosz

< Back to Sanitation & Safety