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Katie Serbinski, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian and millennial mom, blogging about healthy recipes, child and mom nutrition, and motherhood.

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Home » Food & Recipes » Kitchen Tips » How Toddlers Can Help in the Kitchen

How Toddlers Can Help in the Kitchen

Jan 23, 2017 11 Comments

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen. 

Having your toddler assist you in the kitchen helps to teach the importance of healthy eating. Here are 8 simple ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
How the boys prefer to help in the kitchen: by eating Mom’s snacks when she’s shooting a recipe!

As a registered dietitian and a Mom who loves to eat, cook, and teach these life skills to my children, I have a confession: allowing my toddlers to help in the kitchen is STRESSFUL. Heck, grocery shopping with them is too!

While I’ve found a few ways to make grocery shopping with toddlers a little easier, I’m working on the “kids in the kitchen” part. Cooking is my me time. My solitude. My creative space. So forgive me if having two toddlers pick their nose and taste the brownie batter isn’t exactly my cup of tea!

BUT, there’s always a but, because I know getting kids involved in the kitchen is just one step towards getting them exposed to [and hopefully trying and enjoying] healthy foods, I’m making it part of my weekly mission to have them help with one recipe or two. I’m starting small folks… baby steps for Mom here!

How do they help you might ask? Well, here you have it. 8 simple ways I have my toddlers help in the kitchen!

Unload groceries. Having your kids help unload the groceries not only teaches them where things go in the fridge, freezer, and pantry, but you can also leave a few of the items out for them to help with some food prep.

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
They think their job is done once we get home from the grocery store… little do they know it’s just begun!

Zest [limes or lemons] or shred/grate [cheese]. This is my favorite grater to have the boys use. You can also grate things like avocado or soft potato— for fun! Or forget it and just eat the cheese. Like Joey and Anthony’s friends do in this sweet video:

Whisk or mix. Sometimes I get the batter going [brownie batter is really thick!] and crack the eggs, but then I had the utensils over to the boys.

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
Such concentration when it comes to pouring and whisking… You could even have your toddler crack the egg! Joey didn’t want to do that for some reason.
From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
Cooking with Nana! Aka stirring with Nana…

Scoop seasonings or ingredients and pour. Does your recipe call for a ½ cup of flour or a tablespoon of Italian seasoning? Get out those measuring cups and spoons and have your toddler scoop or sprinkle it in your recipe!

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
Look at that smile! I think it’s because he knows his work is done after putting the BBQ sauce on the chicken.

Washing produce. Before I begin a big batch of food prep, I more often than not have Joey and Anthony running around the kitchen. Joey loves getting his stool and parking it right in front of the sink [probably because he loves splashing in the water]. Now I give him the task of rinsing grapes or bell peppers before I slice them.

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
I’m pretty sure this guy would stand at the sink and wash produce or dishes all day long.
From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
Once we wash and cut the veggies, the boys also help me store them! This also serves as an activity for counting and sorting too.

Use small knife to cut or spread. We are new to this one, and actually have NOT attempted to do this just yet. BUT, I know many parents, including my friend Brittany, who has worked on knife skills with her toddlers. Read all about her experience here. I also ended up purchasing the knives she recommends for the boys!

Clear their plates and load into dishwasher. OR unload the dishwasher. Pretty self-explanatory. But this is a big one for me. Mom makes the meal. And Dad helps to clean up. Now that the boys are old enough to pitch-in too they do just that!

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
How long do you think they’ll like doing this?!

Place items into a blender for a smoothie. I love walking downstairs in the morning and hearing Ted do his morning smoothie routine with the boys. They sit and talk about the ingredients and he has the boys put things like a handful of spinach, a scoop of avocado, and a splash or two of milk in the blender. I recently shared our morning smoothie routine in a Facebook Live video last Friday. You can catch the laughs, cute PJ’s, and tasty smoothie here.

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.
And here’s how little sis helps out in the kitchen: eating pretend pizza!!! Thanks for sharing Anthony!

Want even more ways to get your toddler involved in the kitchen? Head on over to my fellow toddler-sous-chef momma’s [Lindsay] blog. Today she’s sharing kitchen tasks toddlers can help with [along with a few fun videos of her toddler Chase helping!]. As you know Lindsay and I are both passionate about raising healthy kids and worked together last year on a eBook dedicated to feeding our babies and toddlers.

Let’s chat: Do your toddlers take an interest in helping in the kitchen? What are some of their favorite things to do or cook?! 

From unloading groceries, washing produce or grating cheese, here are 8 fun and interactive ways toddlers can help in the kitchen.

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Comments

  1. Jenny says

    January 23, 2017 at 9:47 am

    Can you re-establish the link to the knives?

    Reply
    • Katie says

      January 26, 2017 at 11:17 am

      Sure thing! Sorry about that!

  2. Will Henss says

    January 24, 2017 at 2:37 am

    Hi Katie! They are adorable! I really appreciate that you have shared these tips. I am sure this is helpful for moms who thought that their toddlers can’t do anything in the kitchen area. At least as early as their age, we are already teaching them to become more responsible. This is also a good mother and child bonding instead of spending too much time on TV or tablet.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      January 26, 2017 at 11:17 am

      Great point Will! I’m so glad you found this post useful and agree with my approach!

  3. Chiata says

    January 26, 2017 at 9:28 am

    Hello,
    I have a 4 and 2 year old. After having my children in daycare eating at home became an issue. They would not eat my food and perfer daycare food. The FDA has regulatioms that the daycares must provide 80 percent of my childrens nutrition. Its difficult to find a daycare that will allow outside food. Since my children have been home with me they eat so much better I can actually get them to eat their green vegtables. Its great. It sadens me that daycare standards for provding food is not where it should be, for a lot of daycares. What has really helped getting them back on track them helping me in the kitchen they love it. They see whats in the food and they are more likely to try it. We make it a point that they should at least try their food before saying yuck because of spotted greens. I would like to know in the video that your boys are devouring the pizza, what is it that they are standing on. That could be very useful to us.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      January 31, 2017 at 11:24 am

      It sounds like you had to try a few things to get your kiddos back into the routine of eating well at home. Kudos to you for sticking with it and providing them with the best choices possible! It’s not easy and you did it! It’s called the StepUp Kitchen Helper!

  4. Lisa says

    January 30, 2017 at 10:43 pm

    Nice list! Knives are one thing I haven’t tackled with my toddler, thanks for the suggestion. But he has always had a fascination with the dishwasher. I make it a point to put unbreakable dishes on the low rack so he can help me unload. And he pours the soap (with a little help) and turns it on!

    Reply
    • Katie says

      January 31, 2017 at 11:22 am

      They love pressing buttons don’t they?! It’s a chore I never thought would bring so much enjoyment to my guys!

Trackbacks

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Katie Serbinski at Mom to Mom Nutrition

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Hi, I’m Katie! Registered Dietitian, Mom, and Mealtime Negotiator. I’m on a mission to make mealtime happier, healthier, and easier with small children, despite what my 4 picky eaters have me believing. From family-friendly recipes to confessions about my unfiltered motherhood moments, I hope you grab a seat at my kitchen table!
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