Peel, chop, mash
Children’s cookbooks: five copies for young amateur cooks
Instead of always cooking for your children, you can simply involve them
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Many children are used to having their parents cook for them. However, as they get older, they want to actively help prepare the food. This has several advantages: You learn how to handle food properly and you train your fine motor skills. But what tasks can children take on?
There is no general answer to when children are old enough to help with cooking. Depending on their level of development, the little ones can take on easy tasks from the age of two – such as sorting food. From the age of three, fruit and vegetables can be washed or the dough stirred. From the age of four it is possible to cut or peel food, and from the age of five even scrambled eggs can be turned in the pan. As a rule, even smaller dishes can be taken on independently between the ages of six and eight. When your offspring is actually ready, however, you should weigh up individually. In any case, it is important that you never leave your children unattended while cooking!
Five children’s cookbooks in comparison
Whether fried eggs or fried potatoes, pancakes or potato pancakes, pasta or pizza: Many classic dishes are so simple that they can also be prepared by young amateur cooks. However, if you want to try something new, we recommend the following children’s cookbooks. These are also particularly suitable as gifts:
1. My Lotta life. The cookbook.
Linked to the bestseller series “Mein Lotta-Leben”, Alice Pantermüller has now also published a children’s cookbook between the ages of nine and twelve. It contains 60 recipes for children to bake and cook at home, such as granola pancakes, lasagna and cinnamon rolls – or as Lotto says: “Kanelbullar. These are dumplings made from camels”. The children’s cookbook is available here.
2. Dr. Oetker school cookbook for children
In this children’s cookbook for ages eight and up by Dr. Oetker is about the correct handling of fresh food – and how it can be used to conjure up child-friendly and sophisticated dishes in just a few steps. Whether breaded mini schnitzel, lasagna or frozen yoghurt: the book explains every recipe for children using simple language, clear ingredients and understandable step-by-step photos. The children’s cookbook is available here.
3. Cooking and baking with the mouse
“Die Sendung mit der Maus” has been inspiring millions of children since 1971. The special thing about the format is that it questions everyday things and explains them in an understandable way – this also applies to the associated cookbook, which not only lists recipes for children, but also tips and tricks for mouse fans. In addition to classic dishes, the copy also contains modern snacks such as burgers, smoothies or cake pops. The children’s cookbook is available here.
4. The big organic cookbook for children
Natural foods are gaining in importance in our society – and should not be a foreign concept for children either. This cookbook contains 200 recipes for children so that they can learn how to create delicious dishes for the whole family from certified organic ingredients. The instructions for cooking and baking are aimed at children between the ages of eight and ten, but can also be a good introduction to cooking for adults. The children’s cookbook is available here.
5. Super tasty! Homemade
This children’s cookbook is recommended for ages six and up (according to the manufacturer), but is perhaps more for experienced hobby kitchens: The recipes it contains may sound very tasty, but they require a lot of skill – such as salmon in puff pastry or home-baked bread . Nevertheless, children should not shy away from it, as the dishes are explained step by step and with clear pictures. The children’s cookbook is available here.
Tips for more safety in the kitchen
According to the federal working group More safety for children e. V. Parents can increase the safety (for the protection of their children) in the kitchen by following these tips when cooking:
- Make sure that all electrical kitchen appliances (such as kettles, coffee machines, deep fryers) are placed out of the reach of your children.
- When cooking, use the rear hobs and turn the stems of the pots or pans so that they point backwards.
- If you use sharp knives while cooking, they should never be left lying around unattended.
- So that the kitchen floor does not become a slippery tripping hazard, you should always remove splashing water and grease promptly.
- Fat that has become too hot is flammable – it is best to extinguish it by covering it with a lid, never with water!
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