Cooking with a toddler

If you read my last post, you know how important I think it is to include your kiddos in meal preparation. It's a huge opportunity for them to explore tastes and smells and different foods and to start building their healthy recipe repertoire.

If you read my last post, you may also be thinking, "what?!? cooking with a toddler?! that would be the opposite of helpful!!"
...I know, right?! But it's easier than you'd think to keep them safe, helpful and most importantly entertained in the kitchen.

Most toddlers want to help. I let Owen chop and peel and be my little taste tester! I ask him questions like, "here, taste! Do you think there's enough spinach in this curry or could we use another handful...?" and then I let him put the handful in! It doesn't matter if they are at a stage where they are saying 2 words or over 500 words...they'll get what you're saying and LOVE the time with you.

Here are some tips that have been helpful in my kitchen: 

When I'm chopping vegetables, I give Owen a knife of his own and a section of the item I'm chopping.

His plastic knife from IKEA. Safe and effective! ;)

 When I'm doing something at the stove that needs my full attention like pouring hot liquid, I'll give him a task that will keep his attention and keep him out of harms way. For example: I'll set his stool on the far end of the counter for him to stand on or have him sit on the floor and either peel garlic or peel an onion. both of these tasks take a while... Don't worry if you don't need the garlic or onion for the meal you're working on. I have a bowl on my kitchen window sill of garlic cloves that are ready when I need them! ;)

Takes a while to get those cloves out of the head of garlic! ;)

If you have more tips to share I'd LOVE to hear them! Tell me what has worked for you in the comments below!

A meal that they helped with is a meal they will be proud to eat!