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I’m so excited to pass on my love of food and cooking to my kids and one of my favorite ways to do that is to expose them to as many parts of the process as possible. I 100% believe (and have seen) that the more involved Bash is in the entire process - going to the store or market with me, picking out fruits and veggies to try, helping me chop and season, helping me set the timer for the oven - the more curious and excited he is about discovering and trying new foods. Exposure is critical for getting your kids to eat and enjoy foods and it starts even before you start cooking.
While you don’t need tons of tools to get your kids involved in the kitchen, there are a few things I recommend to make it easier for them to help. I’m sharing some of my favorites with you today! We use all of these with Bash and have so much fun watching him learn and get excited about food.
Favorites:
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Hedley and Bennett Apron - First things first, kids in the kitchen can get messy. Don’t shy away from it - it’s all part of the process! Make cleanup a little easier by covering up your Little’s clothes with one of these tried and true aprons. You can even snag a matching one for yourself!
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Learning Tower* - Whether you’re little one wants to watch or really wants in on the action, being able to safely climb up to work alongside you is a total gamechanger. As with other learning towers, ours is adjustable so it can grow with the boys.
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Jovitec Kid-Safe Knives* - These allow your child to play a bigger role in the prep process! Toddlers and young children especially love to help and this is just one more way that you can safely let them lend a hand.
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Flour Shop x Williams Sonoma measuring spoons - Durable and lightweight, these colorful measuring spoons are perfect for little hands. Also dishwasher friendly, because easy cleanup is key.
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Cuisinart Set of 3 Mini Baking Tools* - Another great option for little hands is this set of mini baking tools. Let your little ones whisk, baste and scrap with these durable and silicone covered tools.
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Salad Spinners* - I’m sure the creators of salad spinners didn’t set out to make something that kids would love so much, but this is really like a game and kitchen tool in one. Your kids get to help you wash those delicious and nutritious leafy greens and have fun doing it!
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Smoothie cups* - Obviously a must-have in our home! I love these cups because they’re made of stainless steel or glass with a silicone straw and protective sleeve. Bash gets to enjoy his smoothies and I don’t have to worry about him drinking from plastic every day or about finding smoothie spills.
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Small silicone popsicle molds!* I’ve used several and these are a recent favorite! Making your own popsicles allows you to keep sugar content low, use only the ingredients you want to (here’s a recipe we love), and avoid half eaten popsicles when the kids never finish the big ones. Plus, no plastic!
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Stasher bags* - We wash and chop veggies to snack on or cook with throughout the week and love using Stasher bags to store them. They’re also easy to toss in a purse or diaper bag, are freezer and dishwasher friendly, 100% pure platinum silicone, reusable, and easy enough for little hands to open.
Like I said, you don’t need a lot to start getting your kids involved in the kitchen but there are some things that can be helpful and make the process more fun for everyone. The most important thing to remember is that exposing your kids to a variety of foods is one of the best ways to get them curious about food, reduce the risk of picky eating, and learn to enjoy trying new things at a young age.
We all want to do what’s best for our kids and helping them to learn about new foods plays such an important role in their development. It can set the stage for healthy habits and I’m passionate about helping parents figure out how to do this well. With that in mind, I’ve been working hard to create a new course to support you in raising curious eaters! My upcoming course, Fab 4 under 4, will be released this summer!! To learn more and stay in the know about the course, sign up below.
