I have always been a firm believer in getting kids involved in the kitchen. Letting children take a hands-on approach to cooking encourages them to enjoy their meals and will also hopefully lead to a healthier attitude towards food in the future. While it may not always be easy to let your little one help out, I find that there are usually small jobs that Little M can do. Of course, having kid-friendly kitchen products always helps! Read on for some suggestions of wonderful items for your little chef in training.

The Learning Tower by Little Partners is a safe alternative to traditional step stools. It is perfect for bringing kids to counter level and allowing them to be a part of the action. I like that the platform height is adjustable so it can be used for kids from 18 months to 6 years.

If your little one is anything like Little M, an apron in the kitchen is a must! I love the ones from Mimi the Sardine. Not only are the apron patterns bright and colorful, they are also made of non-toxic organic acrylic-coated cotton and are machine-washable.

Kuhn Rikon’s Kinderkitchen line features cooking tools designed especially for kids! The Duck Snippers are exceptionally adorable; the blades are sharp enough for little jobs like cutting herbs and veggies but won’t cut little fingers.

Now of course, you don’t have to be in the kitchen to be talking about food. There are wonderful books about cooking with children and one of my favorites is Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father’s Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater by Matthew Amster-Burton. I read this book when Little M was only a couple of months old because I was so excited about the thought of being able to cook with him and explore foods, farmers markets and restaurants together.

I could go on and on (and on) but I will save my list of the best books about cooking with children for another day. Bon appetit!