The holidays are just around the corner, and I am here for it.
Many of us will be celebrating a little differently this year. This will be the first year we have spent Christmas without extended family, and it is heartbreaking.
I always say, to be successful in the kitchen, you don’t necessarily need all the fancy gadgets. However, when cooking with little people, having the right tool for the job can sometimes make it much, much easier. I compiled my favorite cooking tools for kids. There are options for little stocking stuffers and bigger splurge items. If you are looking to spend more time in the kitchen with the little people in your life, sometimes all it takes to lure them in is a silly spaghetti strainer.
All of the links in this post are Amazon Affiliate links. This means, if you purchase anything using my link, I will receive a small kickback, at no extra cost to you. Happy Holidays!
Stocking Stuffers
This spatula makes it easier for tiny hands to spread peanut butter on bread or frosting on a cake, without smearing their hands in the peanut butter. If this has happened to you, you know how valuable this little spat will be! No more peanut butter hands!
Not only are these utensils gorgeous, but they will also empower your little one to take action in the kitchen. It’s important to give them tools that are comfortable in their hands. It will set them up for success and make them want to come back to the kitchen again and again to help.
How cute is this little penguin peeler? It makes peeling carrots (my 4 year old’s favorite kitchen activity) even more fun. I love that it folds down, so it’s safe for her to go find in the drawer by herself. I love that it adds a little whimsy to the kitchen.
We use these gummy bear molds all the time. It’s surprisingly easy to make your own gummy bears! Check out my recipe for Juicy Peach Gummy Bears for a super simple version that is fun to make with my preschooler.
If your kids are as infatuated with monsters and all things silly as mine are, they will love this monster strainer. Added bonus, the eyeballs make it super easy to hold and grab from down in the sink. They can pull their stool right up to the sink and wash their own fruits and veggies.
This playful grater makes it easy for little hands to safely grate cheese, carrots, and zucchini. All the gratings go into the bear’s tummy keeping it relatively mess-free and creates an exciting reveal when they get to pop it open and see all their hard work pay off.
This adorable owl kitchen timer is great to start teaching kids the concept of time. You can use it for anything from cooking pasta to how long to wash your hands (2020 life lessons). It also gives them autonomy in completing their recipe start to finish.
These crinkle cutters amp up your fresh fruit and vegetables. We love to use them on carrots and cucumbers, but you can use them on almost anything! I like this 2 pack, because it allows your kiddo to pick the one that is most comfortable in their hand.
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs
I love that this book treats children like they are capable of so much in the kitchen. I was tired of seeing kids cookbooks make the same old smoothies, pinwheels, and scrambled eggs. My preschooler was ready for some more challenging cooking adventures, and this cookbook delivered.
Splurge Gifts
I think of these gifts as investments in quality time together. The easier I make my daughters’ lives in the kitchen, the more fun they are having, which means the more fun I am having.
The ultimate kid helper in the kitchen. This learning tower helps them be right at the counter, seeing what you are doing and helping. I love how this one folds! We have kind of a small kitchen, so it is a big plus that we can stash it away when we need to.
This is hands down the most used electrical appliance in my kitchen. My preschooler uses it to make smoothies, hummus, dips, banana swirl, and baby food puree. I like that it’s smaller than a normal food processor, so it’s easy for her to move around. The pour spout is an upgrade to the version we have, but I think that would be even more useful! Maybe I wouldn’t spill half our smoothies down the sink.
I love these linen aprons! They have them in 6 colors, and I want to get my preschooler all of them. My favorite is this blush, but the mustard yellow is a close runner up.
One of my best friends gave me this waffle maker ages ago, and we still use it all the time. It makes super crispy waffles (my favorite part) in the shape of a giraffe, elephant, and rabbit (my daughter’s favorite part). It’s nice that they are so small and thin. They cook quickly, and my 4 year old loves deciding which animal she would like next. It’s a perfect way to introduce using hot elements in the kitchen and much less nerve wracking than having them lean over the stove.
Sometimes having these playful elements in our kitchen get our kids interested in cooking. Getting kids in the kitchen can help them learn more about different foods, making them less scary to try in the future. I hope these ideas help!
truefamilyfood 