Little Helpers in the Holiday Kitchen
The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to allow your children to help with the meal preparation and offers quality time together as a family. This is a way to keep your children occupied, but is also a fun, educational activity that incorporates a range of skills and senses, such as counting, measuring, reading, touching, listening, planning, smelling, tasting, and creativity. Baking teaches children useful skills and also makes them aware of potential hazards in the kitchen. Helping in the kitchen can increase confidence, as well as encourage children to try a broader range of foods. Children are more likely to try a new recipe if they have helped in the preparation of the meal. Task allocation depends largely on the age and dexterity of the child, but there are some basic rules and tips that will make the process as safe and hassle-free as possible, remembering that children learn by observing and imitating adults. Basic Rules and Tips:
? Teach children the basics of hygiene (e.g., washing hands) before beginning food preparation, and also between stages, to avoid cross-contamination.
? To save time and small children's frustration, be sure to cut and measure ingredients before the child begins to assist. Small children have short attention spans and may become impatient.
? Give children quick, simple instructions, one at a time, and be prepared to repeat them if they do not understand or forget what they have been told.
? Older children can be encouraged to read the recipe and help to measure out or weigh the ingredients.
? Younger children can be involved in the mixing process by placing the ingredients in a jar with a secure lid and letting them shake the contents. This works particularly well with batters and salad dressings.
? All ages can help with frosting and decorating holiday cookies or cupcakes. Use your favorite homemade recipes, or time saving box or frozen dough for simple sugar cookies and cakes. Decoration ideas include: colored sugars, cookie cutters, frosting, icing, candies, etc?
? Always explain the potential dangers in the kitchen and the protocol for safety. Such dangers include sharp knives, hot stoves and ovens, pans of boiling liquids and invisible germs.
? Encourage the children to be involved in the cleaning-up process during and after the baking session is completed.
? For children interested in creativity with decoration, let them make up some edible "play-dough", which they can craft into colorful centerpieces or napkin holders. Or provide children with paper, and crayons or paints to create personalized place mats for each family member and dinner guest.
? Adults make a mess when they are creating in the kitchen, so expect children to have even more mishaps.
Remember to remain calm and have a sense of adventure and humor!
Lisa Barnes is the owner of Petit Appetit, a cooking service devoted to babies and toddlers. Lisa teaches private and group cooking classes to parents throughout Northern California and is the author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook (Penguin, March 2005). Visit http://www.petitappetit.com for information.
Latest News
 Financial Post | Early Sales May Not Mean Strong Holidays, Group Says (Update1) Bloomberg - 1 (Bloomberg) -- A post-Thanksgiving bump may not be enough to rescue what might be the worst holiday season for US retailers in six years. ... Holidays still a boon for Alaska retailers Black Friday Results: Holidays off to a Good Start Shoppers Search Out Black Friday Deals |
Animoto brings the holidays to video CNET News, CA - According to the company, the new holiday feature will use a snowscape to set the scene for the greeting and with the help of its new text feature, ... Animoto Announces Animoto Holiday Greetings; Video Creation Site ... |
Extra Cash for the Holidays or Anytime With the Launch of Diamonds ... MarketWatch - Extra cash just in time for the holidays or anytime has never been so easy, with the online system put in place by the subsidiary of Gold & Diamond Source ... |
ReliaTech Rings in Holidays With Deals for Its Bay Area Customers MarketWatch - This holiday season marks the accomplishment of several goals at ReliaTech. "We are especially gratified to have had such a successful year, as ReliaTech's ... |
 HispanicBusiness.com | E-tailers expect 8% bump for holidays Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA - By Bob Keefe If there’s any good news for retailers this holiday season, it may be online. While retailers brace for declines in sales at traditional ... Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday Online spending forecasted to be flat through Holidays Cyber Sales Mark 2nd Launch Pad for Holidays |
 BBC News | Holiday firms prepare for package tour slump by slashing summer ... guardian.co.uk, UK - Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said deep industry-wide cuts in the number of holidays offered in Britain, combined with the collapse into ... Thomas Cook confident consumers will still go on holiday Travel Firm Hot Prospects Thomas Cook reports profits rise |
Just in time for holidays, top chefs release tomes San Francisco Chronicle, USA - With people returning to the kitchen to save money, these recipe and reference books make ideal gifts for the holiday season. ... |
Hero Astronauts Offer Out-Of-This-World Club for the Holidays MarketWatch - Unlike other 'flavor-of-the-month' services, the Astronaut Autograph Club makes for the perfect gift that will be long-treasured after the holidays and for ... |
Cellular South Welcomes HTC Touch Diamond in Time for the Holidays MarketWatch - RIDGELAND, Miss., Dec 02, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cellular South, a leader in wireless solutions and innovation, today announced the availability of ... |
AMA Phoenix Invites Valley Residents to Celebrate the Holidays at ... MarketWatch - -- Good music -- Piping hot hors d'oeuvres -- Fine wine from around the globe. There will be a wine-tasting of three- to-four specially selected varieties. ... |
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onlinestorebiz - Online Gifts and Collectables
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