Safety With Kids In The Kitchen

Before you can start baking, it’s important to understand the basics in kitchen safety, from proper sanitation procedures to sharp edges, electrical appliances and hot temperatures. With a little instruction, kids can learn the basic safety guidelines to ensure a positive experience in the kitchen. Start with these five safety categories, and you’re well on your way to a safe and successful baking experience:

Avoid cuts

Knives, peelers and other kitchen utensils have sharp edges that can be dangerous in untrained hands. When cooking or baking with kids, always emphasize that these items are not toys and should be treated with respect and care. Also consider using a plastic serrated knife for younger children. It works just as well on most baked goods, and if more forgiving should a slip occur.

Guard Against Germs

Stressing the importance of keeping hands and cutting boards clean, avoiding cross-contamination between different ingredients and encouraging your little helpers to clean up as they go can do wonders to make the experience more pleasant (and food poisoning less likely). Use soap. Use water. Then, use both again.

Stop Burns

Baking requires heat—there’s no getting around it. But it’s easy to set a good example for young bakers by encouraging them to always use oven mitts or gloves when handling hot bakeware, to take care when lighting gas stoves and to always open oven doors carefully to avoid escaping steam.

Prevent Falls

Kids are energetic, active and…shorter than adults. By taking these things into account, you can decrease the chances of slips and falls drastically. Keep floors clean of flour, oil or other slippery ingredients. Explain to children that the kitchen is no place to run and jump. And keep a step stool on hand to keep things within easy reach.

Keep It Clean

Nobody likes to end a baking session with a long, arduous cleaning session. To avoid this, clean as you go. Wash mixing bowls once ingredients are combined. Put utensils in the dishwasher as you finish with them. Soak baked-in cookware for easier cleaning. By taking a few simple steps, you can end your experience in the kitchen by enjoying what you’ve baked, not dreading what you’ve yet to clean.