Kids Cooking Adventure Series!
Beginner Basics (20 Lessons)
Washing Hands
👩🍳🍎 Cooking Lesson #1: Wash Hands First!
Welcome to the very first lesson in our Kids Cooking Adventure series! Before we crack eggs, mix batter, or chop veggies, we have to learn the most important step in cooking anything at all…washing hands!
🫧 Washing Your Hands
It might sound simple, but washing your hands is the first and most important rule in every kitchen around the world!
Watch this Reel!
Washing Hands
🧼 Step 1: Turn on the Water & Add Soap
🫧 Step 2: Scrub for 20 Seconds
(That’s about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice!)
🚿 Step 3: Rinse and Dry with a Clean Towel
🦠 Why Is Washing Hands So Important?
Even if your hands look clean, they can still have tiny germs on them. Germs are so small we can’t see them without a microscope!
Here’s why washing your hands is the first step before cooking:
1️⃣ It Keeps Everyone Safe
When we cook, we share food with family and friends. Washing your hands helps stop germs from spreading and keeps everyone healthy.
2️⃣ Germs Can Make People Sick
Some germs, like Salmonella or E. coli, can live on raw foods (especially raw meat and eggs). If we don’t wash our hands, those germs can spread to other foods.
3️⃣ Clean Hands = Clean Food
Imagine making a sandwich after playing outside. Dirt, pet fur, or even paint from art class might still be on your hands!
Would you want that in your lunch?
Probably not! 😄
4️⃣ Real Chefs Always Wash First
In restaurants and cooking schools, washing hands is rule #1. Even famous chefs like Gordon Ramsay follow strict handwashing rules in their kitchens.
If professional chefs do it every time, we should too!
⏱️ How Long Should You Wash?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
That’s about the time it takes to sing:
🎵 “Happy Birthday” twice!
🧠 Cooking Rule #1 to Remember
Before you:
- Crack an egg 🥚
- Cut fruit 🍎
- Mix dough 🍪
- Taste anything 🥄
👉 Wash your hands first!
🌟 Today’s Cooking Challenge
Practice washing your hands the right way:
- Turn on water
- Add soap
- Scrub fronts, backs, between fingers, and under nails
- Rinse
- Dry with a clean towel
Have a grown-up time you to make sure you scrub for 20 seconds!
Next lesson, we’ll learn about kitchen safety tools and how to use them safely 🔪✨
Until then…
Happy (clean!) cooking! 👩🍳👨🍳
What do you think?