Christmastime and baking are synonymous in many homes. However, if you have kids who love to help, you also know what a nightmare it can become when it is time to cleanup. From flour everywhere, to crying kiddos, a messy kitchen and unhappy bakers can put a damper on the holiday season. The good news is, there are a few tips that you can use to keep kids happy and get treats baked. Regardless of if you are making do-it-yourself sugar cookies or traditional Christmas fruit cakes, keeping things clean will help out significantly.
Give Everyone a Designated “Work” Area
First of all, you want to keep kids away from the hot stove. This means you can set them up with mixing stations and cookie cutters on the table or a counter on the other side of the kitchen. Make sure they understand that if they want to help with the baking, they have to stay in their designated area. This will also minimize the size of the mess at the end of the day and reserve it to that part of the kitchen.
Pre Measure Ingredients
Regardless of what you are making, from multi-layer cakes to Christmas fruit cakes, you are going to need several ingredients. If your little ones will be helping, pre measure the ingredients in small bowls and let them combine them in a larger bowl. In most cases, this results in a smaller mess than trying to have your kid’s measure flour out of the bag or milk out of a gallon container.
Holiday baking should be fun for everyone in the family. With these tips, you can keep some of your sense and reduce the mess in the kitchen. The fact is, these tips are ideal for whatever you may be cooking, including sausage balls, sweet treats and even Christmas fruit cakes.
