Kitchen Safety Tips for Kids and Adults

I began to think about kitchen safety tips for kids and adults today while pouring filtered hot water from my metal electric kettle into my organic coffee filter and porcelain holder.

Careless cooking is the number one cause of residential fires.

Some of these kitchen safety tips for kids are a bit gruesome and I apologize for that. I collect these so that I can alert my grown daughters to be careful if/when they have children. And I want to take every precaution for my personal safety as well.

Stove Safety

I don't have grandchildren (yet), but I have alerted my adult daughters to a disaster I recall from my young motherhood days. A small toddler climbed up on a chair and  pulled a pot of boiling spaghetti down on himself. Keep pot handles pointing toward back of stove.

Clothing

Do not wear loose clothing while cooking near open flames. Short sleeves are best.

Knives and Sharp Utensils

Never walk with a pointed object aimed straight out in front of you. I know a gruesome story about a child running into the house while her grandpa was walking out with a long fork to use on the barbecue.

Plastic

As a worrywart, I don't want to take chances with plastic, so I am trying to phase out all my plastic in the kitchen. Several years after I bought an all plastic (adorable red) electric kettle, I returned it to Crate & Barrel, where I received some credit for it. Hot water and plastic are a health hazard, so I make my coffee using a porcelain filter holder. I cringe when I think of all those meals I microwave-heated in plastic containers while my kids where growing up.

Multi-Tasking

I have ruined countless dinners by multi-tasking. I leave one chore and turn to another; I forget that I was supposed to broil for only one minute to brown the top of this or that. Multi-taking is generally not a good idea, but so many of us seem incapable of doing only one thing at a time.

Outlet Covers

Use outlet covers and then be aware of that in-between age when a child is old enough to fiddle with it, and pull it out, but is still to young to understand the hazards of electrical outlets.

Burns

We all know about kitchen safety and burns. Yet, when I get the occasional grease fire, my instinct is to throw water on it, which is wrong; to quell grease fires, smother with a lid (not a glass one) or baking sheet; alternatively smother it with salt or baking soda—you'll need quite a lot.

Most of us at one time or another get burned. Last summer, I burned my finger on the barbecue grill. A friend quickly looked up remedies and came up with the unlikely idea of sticking my burnt finger in mustard. The most remarkable thing happened: the pain went away and the skin never formed a blister.

Falls

Clean up spills promptly to avoid slipping, and use stepladders that are sturdy.

Pets

You may be surprised by some foods that are poisonous to dogs. Keep all food out of your pet's reach. My pooch has an amazing reach and needs only to reach the edge of a bag of pretzels to pull the whole thing down from the counter and devour it.

Personal hygiene and safety

Keep nails clean, wash hands frequently and ask others to do the same. Completely cover cuts or open wounds with waterproof bandages.

Make kitchen safety a priority!

See my bio for links to all my posts as well as to my blog, Confessions of a Worrywart and to my new memoir about Husbands, Lovers, Mothers, and Others.