The kitchen is a fun space where children can begin to explore safety, hygiene, measuring, time management, and to follow instructions. Baking is a great way to learn the science behind food creation, requiring precision and attention to detail. It’s all about mixing the perfect amount of ingredients, cooking at the right temperatures, waiting for reactions to occur, and experimenting with flavours. Here are a couple recipes and tips to introduce your kids to these delicious concepts.
Hygiene and Safety
Though the kitchen is an exciting and creative place, it is extremely important to keep it safe and clean. This makes vigilance, attention to detail, cleanliness, and carefulness key ingredients in kitchen safety!
Tips on: Cleaning
- Wash your hands before, during, and after cooking and eating to lower the risk of cross contamination and germs!
- Sing and complete the “happy birthday” song while washing and rinsing.
- Wash/clean all of your equipment and surfaces and then sanitize.
- Wear kitchen gloves when cleaning
- When using chemicals, make sure the area is well ventilated with vents and fans on.
- Label your cleaning solutions and keep away from foods.
- Wear an apron.
- Tie up your hair and wear a cap or hairnet to prevent hairs from becoming a surprise ingredient.
- Clean out and sanitize the fridge periodically.
Common Ways to Wash
Both of the above methods are effective in removing grease, grime, and debris. Be sure to wipe and rinse away all the product before moving on to sanitization. A clean area will help to minimize the risk of germs.
Common Ways to Sanitize
There are many ways we can sanitize our surfaces. It is important to follow instructions to effectively sanitize our work areas and equipment. NEVER mix chemicals unless it’s specified to do so!
Lemon Vinegar Cleaner Recipe
Lemon and vinegar have been used in kitchens for hundreds of years to clean surfaces of grime, grease, and build-up. Practice a little chemistry by crafting your own cleaning solution with household ingredients! Be careful to not use it on sensitive surfaces like marble or granite as the high acidity can leave marks. If you are not sure that you can use it in your kitchen, research it online or test it on a small, hidden area.
Ingredients:
- Lemon Juice – 1 part
- White Vinegar – 1 part
- Water – 2 parts
Safety First!
Tips on: Safety
- When dealing with hot pans, wear oven mitts or gloves.
- Make sure all long hair is tied back and, in a bun, to prevent any accidental pulling.
- Make sure the floor is clean of debris and spills to prevent slipping.
- Keep sharp knives in cases and away from children.
- Have a plastic or kid-friendly sets of kitchen utensils for children to use.
- Stepping stools are great for adults and kids!
What you will need
Key Equipment and Utensils
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisks
- Spatulas
- Butter Knife and Paring Knife
- Scissors
- Baking Sheets and Pans
Tip: Use utensils that are child-safe/child-proof. Generally, you can find most in plastic, metal, rubber, or silicone!
Fun Kiddie Recipes to Try!
“Hand-made” Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes: 15 two-bite cookies
This recipe is perfect for young ones to explore new textures and problem solve. Did we mention you can mix it with your hands? If you’re not a fan of chocolate chips you can remove them or add in your own ingredients to this great cookie base!
Ingredients:
- Flour: 1.5 cups
- White Sugar: 2 tbsp
- Brown Sugar: 2 tbsp
- Baking Power: ½ tsp
- Vanilla Extract: ½ tsp
- Salt: 1 pinch
- Butter: ¼ cup melted
- Egg: 1
- Chocolate Chips: ¼ cup
- Water: ¼ cup
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Put on some gloves.
- In a large bowl, mix your dry ingredients with a whisk.
- Add melted butter to the dry mix and incorporate with your hands until crumbly.
- In another bowl, mix your egg, vanilla, and water with a whisk.
- Mix all the ingredients together with your hands until a dough is formed.
- Add chocolate chips and mix by hand.
- Form round cookies by hand or roll and use cookie-cutter shapes.
- Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
Note:
The dough should be soft and pliable, but not sticky or crumbly. If it is too sticky, add a little bit of flour. If it is too crumbly, add a touch of water. Most importantly, have fun!
Farm Boy Sweets Reimagined
The recipe below is a great way to exercise fine-motor skills and the ability to follow directions! At our stores, we have a selection of fresh fruits, made-from-scratch baked goods, high-quality dairy, and more to craft quick and easy desserts.
Berries and Cream Trifle
Ingredients:
- Farm Boy™ Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake : Diced
- Farm Boy™ Berry Blend Frozen Fruit
- Fresh Strawberries: Halved
- Fresh Blueberries, Raspberries, and Black Berries: Whole
- Corn Starch
- Sugar
- Lemon = 1 Wedge
- Water
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Farm Boy™ Golden Maple Syrup
Whipped Cream
- In a mixing bowl, combine heavy whipping cream and maple syrup to desired sweetness
- Whip until fluffy and soft, but with slight stiff peaks.
Berry Sauce
- In a pot, cook frozen fruit on medium-high heat with sugar and water until you’ve reached a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Taste test to ensure desired sweetness. BE CAREFUL IT’S HOT.
- Add lemons juice to sauce.
- Thicken the sauce with a water and cornstarch mixture. (1.5 parts water to 1 part cornstarch)
- Once thick enough, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Assembling the Trifle
- Assemble in large glass or plastic bowl.
- Starting at the bottom, layer your ingredients in this order: Cake, Sauce, Whipping cream, Fresh Fruit.
- Repeat step 2 until you have reached the top of your dish, finishing with a final layer of fresh fruit.
- Optional: garnish the top with finely sliced fresh mint leaves.
Matter is anything we can touch, taste, smell, and see. They are made up of tiny particles called molecules that create a shape or state that they exist in. The three states of matter are: Solid, Liquid, Gas. 
A solid is an object that maintains its own shape due to tightly packed molecules. Some examples of solids are fruits, vegetables, and chocolate. 
A liquid has flowing molecules and takes the shape of whatever container it’s in. Some examples of liquids are water, oil, and milk! 
Fruits and vegetables usually contain a combination of states of matter. For example, berries have both solid and liquid parts – the flesh being a solid and the juice being a liquid! 
Gases have free-flying molecules and have no shape. Instead, they can fill any container or flow freely. The bubbles in soda are a great example of gas! 
Baking recipes combine solids, liquids, and gases to make scrumptious treats. 
A great example is the Farm Boy Loaf Cakes that begin as a liquid mixture and rise to become solid. 
A key ingredient is baking powder which is made of three solid chemicals that react once a liquid is introduced. This creates gas that allows whatever is being baked to rise and become lighter in texture. 
Flour is a solid that’s so fine and tiny that it can float in the air for a short period – making gas visible. 
Each state of matter can transform into the other under special conditions like applying heat or cooling. 
Under cool and room temperature conditions, butter is a solid. When it requires melting, we apply heat and it turns into a liquid!
