making food

[Helen79]

both my mindees are fussy eaters so was hoping that helping prepare the food might encourage them to be more adventurous with trying new foods.

Just wondered if their are any guidelines with making things like homemade burgers etc. with the mindees handling raw meat & eggs.

dd (4) makes burgers using her hands but just wondered if I'm allowed to with the mindees?

[RainbowMum]

If its age approriate ie they are old enough to not put food, fingers etc in mouth and you follow correct hygeine I think its fine. If you cant be sure they wont put thumb in mouth or they may try to eat as you go then I would let them stir mix with spoon and put ingedients in bowl etc but not touch raw meat. Do a risk assessment to see what probs may arise and how you can avoid them

[moogster1a]

please please do not do a risk assessment. The sooner we can be trusted to use an iota of common sense the better.

[sonia ann]

If its age approriate ie they are old enough to not put food, fingers etc in mouth and you follow correct hygeine I think its fine. If you cant be sure they wont put thumb in mouth or they may try to eat as you go then I would let them stir mix with spoon and put ingedients in bowl etc but not touch raw meat. Do a risk assessment to see what probs may arise and how you can avoid them

good advice here, the risk has been identified and covered.....r/a 's don't always have to be formal written down statements....we do them mentally all the time.aka commom sense:)

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Parents always say children are fussy eaters - mine eat what is put in front of them most of the time (not my children of course!!).

I find that they don't like it but they have never tried it so I say try it and if you don't like it we will have something else but I have only had sprouts returned!

I would say don't pamper them to much and they will expand their pallet.

As to making food, it depends on the age of the child.

[Helen79]

They are 4 & 7 so should be ok with the hygeine aspect of it.

I'm trying not to pander to them, one won't eat anything thats mixed together, like pasta & sauce, I gave it to him last week & he asked if it was mixed together, I said no (it was) & he ate it happily & said it was really nice!

The other doesn't know a lot about food, whenever he has been given a veg,he asks what it is, even basics like carrots. They say they don't like it but have never actually tried it. I do the seem as you Debbie, encourage them to try it & most of the time they find they do actually like it.

I thought if they could help make the food they would understand more about where it comes from & what it's made from.
Might do a healthy eating theme next week too.

[Pudding Girl]

please please do not do a risk assessment. The sooner we can be trusted to use an iota of common sense the better.

Of course a risk assessment is in order for cooking activities!! :rolleyes: so many dangers that we need to be aware of.

Helen - Hope your burgers turn out fine and they love them!!