Need some help in the kitchen, but your volunteers are barely able to see over the counter top? Don’t despair… put them to work!

I’ve said it again and again, but some of my best memories are of being with my kids in the kitchen. It’s where they can learn about food, as well as some very basic life skills. They’ll also learn about kitchen safety and cleanliness, something that they’ll use the rest of their lives.

But, most important: make sure YOU have the time to help them! You don’t want to be rushing to get dinner on the table. You’ll need a lot of patience because the first few times they assist you, they’re not going to know what to do!

Kids from about 3-years-old can start helping (if they want!). I’m not a slave driver, but getting kids in the kitchen is a great way for them to learn about team work and that cooking can be fun.

Kids like to eat what they’ve had a hand in preparing, so you might get them to try some foods they’ve vowed they’d never eat. Most important, you’ll get the chance to really be with them… to hear their stories and inner secrets. And, if you have more than one child helping you, learn how to stand back and just listen to the conversation between and among them.

That’s how Mama finds out what’s REALLY going on in their lives…

For a breakdown on age-appropriate tasks, and more ideas on how to get your kids in the kitchen, Click Here.

Marnie asks: What’s the basic stuff I need for my kitchen? I’m moving into my first apartment and don’t have a lot of money for extras.

Congrats on the apartment and on your desire to cook. You’ll save money… money that can be used, perhaps, for that Mauviel copper sauté pan you covet. Buy what you can afford now and upgrade when you’re able (or, let someone help you by dropping subtle hints when gift-giving opportunities present themselves).

Most of the things on my list are items that my grandmother would have had in her kitchen. Okay, I’ll admit she didn’t have SILICONE spatulas, but she did have spatulas in different shapes and sizes…. and her instant read thermometer was her nose and thumb.

The point is that you don’t need a kitchen full of stuff to cook. Just the passion to do it for yourself and for those you love.

As Julia Child said:

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

(Click on the image to make it bigger!)