10 Safety Rules for Kids in the Kitchen

by Kerry Cordy

Working with food and learning to cook or bake is one of the most enjoyable life skills a person can develop.  It is important to teach kids the proper safety rules before you get started though to ensure no one gets sick or injured in the process.  While this list of safety rules is not all inclusive, it should give you a good place to start.  Talk about safety with your kids and see what other rules they can come up with.

1. Wash your hands and keep them clean.  No licking fingers while preparing food.
2. Tie your hair back.  Not only will this help keep your hair out of the food, but will keep it from getting caught in mixers and other appliances.  Also remove all loose clothing or dangling jewelry.
3. Keep pot handles turned away from the edge of the stove or counter where they can be bumped and only touch hot items with hot pads.
4. Learn proper knife skills and knife safety before handling sharp knives and never put them in a sink full of soapy water as someone might reach in and cut themselves.
5. Never put a kitchen fire out with water as it can actually spread the fire farther.  Always use a fire extinguisher unless the fire is small enough to cover with a lid to smother it.  Dumping salt or baking soda on a small fire should also smother it if a fire extinguisher or pot lid are not available.
6. Don’t leave the kitchen with pots & pans cooking on the stove.  Make sure to turn off all appliances when you are done using them.
7. Don’t put cooked food on an unwashed plate or cutting board that held raw food. Always use a clean plate.
8. Never add water to a pan that has hot oil in it. It could make the oil splatter and burn someone.
9. Keep dish towels, pot holders and paper towels away from the stove where they may catch fire.
10. Scalding can occur from hot steam so be careful when lifting lids from hot food or opening bags from the microwave such as steamed vegetables or popcorn.