safety |
RECIPE FOR SAFETY
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Before you serve a Thanksgiving meal, it’s essential to serve up safety in the kitchen.
here’s nothing like spending time in the kitchen cooking a delicious meal for family and friends or an appetizing treat for yourself. But do you know the important steps to take long before anyone takes the first bite?
SAFETY RULES FOR THE GROWN-UPS • Teach your children to stay a safe distance from hot stoves and appliances. • Avoid carrying or holding a child while cooking on the stove. • Kids love to reach, so use the back burner of your stove. • Turn pot handles away from the edge. • Remind yourself to check on food frequently by using a timer, especially when baking or simmering. • Check to make sure appliance cords are coiled and away from counter edges. • Take an extra second to make sure hot foods are away from the edge of
your counters as well. • Stay close when you are using a grill or turkey fryer. • Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. • Take a minute to test your smoke alarms. • Teach your kids how to cook safely.
SAFETY RULES FOR THE KIDS 1. Always ask an adult’s permission before cooking in the kitchen. This may seem obvious at first, but as your kids get more comfortable and independent in the kitchen they may forget to ask at times. 2. Wash your hands. Little hands often carry big germs. Clean hands are very important to food safety and should be the first step before touching any food or appliance. 3. Clean as you go. Cleaning spills and messes as you go will prevent slips and falls. Plus, it makes it easier to have a clean kitchen at the end. 4. Use a potholder or towel to
carry and hold hot items. Trying to handle hot plates, pots or appliances can cause burns or cause you to drop food on the floor. Try getting a colorful towel or potholder that is just for them so they will be excited to use it. 5. Practice good knife safety tips. Try using plastic to-go knives at the toddler age, then at the preschool and kindergarten years upgrade to more kid-friendly plastic knives. 6. Ask before you lick. Kids like to lick EVERYTHING — plates, spoons, their fingers (even the countertops — we don’t judge). To make sure they don’t consume raw ingredients that can make them sick, let your kids know that they have to ask before they can lick. 7. Listen, Listen, Listen. This really should be rules No. 1, 2 AND 3. Cooking with your kids is a great way to build listening skills and practice following directions. This is a great way to make sure they don’t harm themselves in moments of excitement because they touched something that may be hot, sharp or slippery.
Safe Kids is a nonprofit coalition of agencies and organizations dedicated to eliminating preventable childhood injuries. Visit safekidsswfl.org.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » NOVEMBER 2020 » 39
