Being able to cook your favorite meals in your kitchen without having to worry about accidents seems to be a luxury these days, particularly if, like me, you have young children to consider. Accidents in the kitchen are unfortunately pretty common; and they’re as varied as the foods being prepared. But, accident prevention ultimately comes down to attention to detail.
Even so, otherwise cautious people often succumb to accidents that could have been avoided simply because they didn’t adequately prepare. Aside from simply not being an absent-minded cook, my tips below can help you to prevent common kitchen accidents and avoid getting hurt while you create that delicious, signature dish.
Know the Ropes
There are a number of areas in your kitchen that are more dangerous than others. For starters, you want to stay aware of the condition of your stove or oven; and also, be mindful of your sink, your doorways and windows, and your light fixtures as well as your outlets. These areas might be quite full of activity, overloaded, hot to the touch, or at the very least be places where accidents are most likely to happen.
Delete Distractions
Try to eliminate all distractions while you are busy cooking. Have the kids go in the other room and stay off of your phone. The added bonus here, is that you’ll get that precious bit of ‘me’ time. It is also best to stay somewhere close to the kitchen. Having a timer for your lengthy recipes is only an extra safety measure and should not be used as the only source of supervision in your kitchen. The last thing you want is to walk into a room that is engulfed in smoke, flames, danger, or disappointment.
Chill about Spills
It is important for you to always be aware of spills on the floors and counters. Don’t fret if you have no time to clean up the mess right away; cooking a great meal can sometimes make you wish you had an extra hand or two. Still, you should try to clean up any messes as quickly as you can.
Handle the Stove
When you are making a meal using your stove or induction cook top, be careful of how you position the handles on your various pans. Always make sure that you turn all the handles inward so that they don’t stick out from the surface. Having someone come through and knock a pan off the stove because they accidentally hit the handle is an easily avoidable mishap. This one is particularly important if you have young children, all mothers know how curious kids can be, they’re always exploring this, or that, and a hot pan handle is no exception. So, by keeping your handles turned inwards, and your little ones out of the kitchen whilst you cook, you should eliminate all risk here.
Tie Up Loose Ends
Make sure that you do not have any loose clothing or hair when cooking in your kitchen. That way you won’t get any of your hair into the food; and on a more safety-related note, you won’t be catching your dangling sleeves on fire. Tie up all the loose ends before you begin
Be a Discerning Dipper
Don’t go dipping your fingers into the pans to taste test your delicious dishes. The startle that might come from the burn of surprise will most likely unbalance you. This could cause a chain reaction that might possibly spell disaster. Use your common sense and a spoon instead.
Get Chummy with Potholders
These hand protectors are your best friend in the kitchen. Even when simply lifting a lid from a pot, slide your digits into a potholder to avoid painful burns. There are innumerable styles from which to choose, so get creative.
Don’t be Hansel or Gretel with your Oven
You don’t have to crawl inside your oven to get something out. In actuality, you do not even have to lean in, at least not very far. Checking on your food shouldn’t mean singeing your eyebrows if you keep a safe distance. When you open your oven, be mindful of the heat that will rush out; so if possible, wait for it to cool down beforehand.
Stay Sharp
Keep all your knives and other cutting supplies nice and sharp at all times. You would think that sharp items would be more dangerous, but the truth is that the dull variety cause more accidents. Slipping while cutting is the number one cause of accidentally slicing yourself.
Micro Waves of Heat
Cooking with a microwave can cause little hot spots on your dishes. Use a potholder for these items as well; and stay ever mindful of these tiny micro waves of heat. This is especially important if you need to transport hot items from the microwave to the table or counter.
So, if you want to avoid kitchen accidents, (which we all do, don’t we?) the number one piece of advice we can give is to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Easier said than done, we know, but it will cut your chances of getting hurt in half. Common sense is perhaps the best ingredient in a tasty dish.