Have you heard about Instant Pots? Here is a great guest post about how to choose the right instant cooker/pot.

Today’s guest post article comes to us from Barbara Calder from BHealthyLife.com and she explores how to select the best Instant Pot for you and your family from choosing the right size, comparing it to stove top pressure cookers and much, much more. She really did a great job with this post. Thanks for the great contribution, Barbara.

Enjoy.
– Will

There Are So Many Choices, Let’s Look At How To Choose The Right Instant Cooker

You’ve heard about the Instant Cooker, also know as the Instant Pot. Are you ready to buy one and give this modern take on pressure cooking a try? You head to the store or your favorite online store. And discover that there are quite a few different models of Instant Pot available, in different sizes, with different functionality. Let me quickly run you through the most popular models and sizes. So you can make an informed decision on what to get.

Let’s start by talking about size.

The size of the meals you want to cook. Or even the size of your family will determine what Instant Pot is the right size for you. Most come in the following sizes:

• 5 Quart
• 6 Quart
• 8 Quart

The 5-quart size works well if you’re mainly cooking for one to three people. It works great for dorm rooms and is a must-have in a small apartment. Unless that description fits you, I highly recommend going with the standard 6-quart size.

The six-quart model is the most versatile and also the most popular size. Some of the models available will only come in this size. It’s perfect for the average family and will fit all your pressure cooking needs. If in doubt, go with this size.

The 8-quart size is available in a few models. And is a good fit for larger families. Or if you know you’ll be cooking a lot of large meals for family gatherings, church dinners and such.

With size decisions out of the way, let’s take a quick look at the different models available. There are three different main models with a couple of variations thrown in to keep you on your toes.

Here Are The Main Models Of Instant Cookers

The Instant Pot Lux

This is the basic Instant Pot model and the one I recommend for most people new to pressure cooking. You may also hear as this one as the 6-in-1 model. It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, with sauté and keep warm functions.  For a total of six different ways of cooking.

The Instant Pot Duo

This is also called the 7-in-1 and will do everything the Lux can, but is also a yogurt maker. If making your own yogurt at home is on your list of things you want to do regularly. Spring for the duo, otherwise, go with the basic lux model and save a few dollars.

The Instant Pot Smart + app

The latest main model in the Instant Pot lineup is the Smart one. It will do everything the previous two models do and more. The digital interface on the pot itself and the app that connects to your instant pot. It allows you to control temperature and cooking durations for your meals as you see fit.

If you like gadgets prefer the ease of being able to save your favorite recipes. And instant pot settings on your smartphone and love full control over your pot, this is the model to get.

But, If you’re on a budget, go for the Lux model. If you’re a big fan of making yogurt. Consider the Duo, and if your budget allows, go for the latest model with full smartphone app integration. To be perfectly honest, it’s hard to go wrong no matter what model of instant pot you choose.

Now The Question Is, Is An Instant Cooker Worth The Money?

Let’s take a look at the instant pot and whether or not it’s worth spending the money on one. Depending on the time of year, and what kind of deal you can find. The average Instant Pot will set you back anywhere from $70 to $150. While this doesn’t make it the cheapest kitchen appliance on the market, it’s also nowhere near the highest.

On the other hand, you can pick up a stovetop pressure cooker or basic slow cooker for around $25. Does that mean the Instant Pot is overpriced, or something you shouldn’t consider buying? I don’t think so. While the Instant Pot may not be the right choice for everyone. It can quickly become one of your most valued and most often used appliances.

Let’s Take A Peek At The Stove Top Pressure Cooker

For example, the inexpensive stove top pressure cooker will do you no good if you’re too intimidated to use it. Or it ends up in the back of the cabinet. Because you don’t have the time and patience to keep an eye on the pressure. And adjust the stovetop as needed. When you have young children underfoot. You may not be comfortable using a traditional pressure cooker so the Instant Pot provides a great alternative.

If you’re good at planning ahead and starting dinner first thing in the morning to slow cook a roast. You may not need an Instant Pot. If on the other hand, you’re like me and forget to get it started. The Instant Pot may just be the solution you need to get dinner on the table quickly.

Last but not least, let’s talk hard cash. The expense of buying the Instant Cooker will easily be worth it. If it keeps you from going out to eat. Or picking up food on your way home. If you know you can get dinner cooked in 45 minutes without having to stir pots. It becomes a lot easier to go home. And start that pot of chili, or the pot roast, and relax while it cooks. If it keeps you from ordering out even just once a week. It won’t be long for the Instant Pot to pay for itself.

At The End Of The Day

the decision is yours to make. If you aren’t sure if you’ll actually use it, the Instant Pot may be a waste of money. Or If on the other hand, you think you’ll use it quite a bit then keep it on your counter. And use it as your pressure cooker, slow cooker, and rice cooker. It will be an investment that’s well worth it. Look through some recipes. Borrow a friend’s Instant Pot if possible. And see if this seems like the type of appliance that will work well for you and your lifestyle.

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Original article from: BHealthlyLife.com

Disclosure: BHealthyLife.com is a professional website that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review and promote. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

About the Guest Post Author

My name is Barbara. I own and write on my personal website, Bee Healthy, a site dedicated to living a healthy and balanced life.

I help people, it’s what I’ve always done. I’ve been in the medical field for over 30 years, a registered nurse for 15 of those years. I’ve worked here in the United States and in Australia as well. You could say I’ve had a varied and interesting career.

About seven years ago I had reached an age where my years were catching up to me and my health was beginning to show it. I found myself reading everything I could on how to lose weight, exercise more, and just have a happy and balanced life.

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Building healthy eating habits for kids can be challenging

Today’s guest post comes to us from Jennifer O’Neal of AllExerciseBikes.net, and she writes about healthy eating habits for kids. More specifically, she covers ways to build healthy eating habits for kids while at school.

I really enjoyed this read and I hope you do too. It is filled with so much great information you can use starting now.

Enjoy.
– Will

How to teach healthy eating habits for kids at school

We all want to build healthy eating habits for kids in our society, especially our own children.

We prepare healthy and nutritious food on our kitchen table. We show them that eating fruits and vegetables can provide a lot of benefits. We think of creative ways to make healthy foods look fun and delicious when introducing healthy eating habits for kids. Since we believe that healthy eating habits for kids start at home, we do everything in our power to provide a lot of healthy food choices for them.

As much as we want to shelter our kids in the safety of our homes, they need to explore their world. School is a perfect environment for them to socialize with other kids and learn skills and knowledge needed in life.

It is also at school that they pick up habits from other kids, and some of them are not good ones.

How do you ensure healthy eating habits for kids at school and what foods they choose to eat?

Below are some tips that you can do as a parent to teach your kids healthy eating habits.

1. Insist on good food choices at school
   It’s hard to eat something healthy when you are presented with unhealthy food choices such as chocolates, candies, burgers, cakes and potato chips. It is a daunting and uphill challenge when it comes to healthy eating habits for kids at school.

   The school cafeteria should provide healthy food choices. Take time to visit your kid’s school, particularly the cafeteria, to see if they serve nutritious food. If you think that they are not providing healthy food choices for your kids, talk to the school administrator or introduce this topic as a point of discussion during parent-teacher meetings.

   You should be proactive in insisting that your child’s school provides wide array of healthy food choices when it comes to building and maintaining healthy eating habits for kids. When there are plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from, your kid would develop good eating habits.

2. Encourage children to eat slowly
   Remember a time when you were reprimanded by your parents because you shoved too much food into your mouth and swallowed it as fast as you could?

   Our parents taught us to eat slowly and chew our food carefully with every bite as one of the most crucial healthy eating habits for kids. We should pass this teaching on to our own kids.

   Teaching kids to eat slowly is not only a social decorum but it is also beneficial in their health and eating habits. When food is chewed carefully, their risk of indigestion and stomach upset is relatively lowered. They will also appreciate the food more when they savor each bite. Having a deep appreciation of the different dimension of taste will help them in keeping healthy eating habits for kids.

3. Encourage them to eat foods that reduce stress
   School can bring too much stress to our little ones.

   With the demands to perform in curricular activities such as testing and daily homework, as well as seeking to fit in socially, our kids can be stressed at a young age.

   Help them fight stress by exposing them to foods that are known to reduce stress as one of the many healthy eating habits for kids.

   Be sure to stock these nutritious foods in your kid’s lunch boxes:

   

   • Green leafy vegetables such as spinach
   • Turkey
   • Fermented foods such as yogurt
   • Salmon
   • Blueberries
   • Pistachios
   • Dark chocolate
   • Seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds
   • Avocados

   These foods are not only healthy and satisfying but they can also lower your kid’s stress level.

4. Give them attractive water bottles to enjoy every sip
   Let’s admit it. Having our kids drink plenty of water can be challenging. In fact, there is another guest post on Windy Pinwheel discussing this topic as a stand-alone article. That’s how important it is.

   Sometimes you feel like begging your kids to take a sip or bribe them that if they gulp down the whole glass of water, you’ll buy them the latest model of a smart phone, a new set of Lego toys or even perhaps a new American Girl doll.

   Instead of buying a smart phone or these other items, why don’t you try buying an attractive water bottle that they will enjoy and not feel embarassed about carrying with them?

   Choose their favorite design and color. Having interesting water bottles can make every sip enjoyable and fun for children seeking to fit in with the "coolest" water bottle among all of their friends’ water bottles.

5. Warn kids about drinking calories
   You know that being healthy is important. You ride exercise bikes to help you stay fit. You also want your children to be conscious of their health and eating habits. As a parent, you can help lead your children in developing healthy eating habits for kids.

   Aside from giving them healthy food choices, let your kids know the dangers of drinks that are high in calories. Sodas and juices are not healthy as they often contain too much sugar and are not much in the way of nutritional value.

   As a healthy alternative, give them a bottle of water. You can also make juices or shakes from fresh fruits with a blender or juicer.

6. Encouraging packing a lunch with rewards
   Gone are the days of packing a boring lunch.

   Use your creativity to fill your kids’ lunch boxes with healthy foods that look fun and enticing as a way of building healthy eating habits for kids. Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of different colors so you can create a work of art. You can also cut them into small pieces and form fun shapes and designs.

   Make a deal with your children that if they eat all of the food in their lunch boxes, a reward awaits them.

   Teaching healthy eating habits for kids at school is not easy however it is not impossible either. With these effective tips, you can increase your confidence that you can raise your children into an individual that values healthy food choices and it all starts with building healthy eating habits for kids both at home and at school.

About the Guest Post Author

Jennifer O’Neal is a writer who loves to write an article on various topics such as health, fitness, exercise etc. She is a lifelong cyclist, enjoying the thrill of an outdoor ride as much as the one on her indoor cycling bikes. She uses exercise bikes for weight loss & fitness.

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The importance of water on a young child’s body and the ways to get your kids to drink more water every day

Today’s guest post comes to us from Amelia Johnson of StayHealthyWays.com, and she writes about 5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water each day. In her article below, she discusses the importance of water on a growing young child’s body. Signs of dehydration in children can often be overlooked and caught too late. Also, instilling the habit of grabbing for a healthy choice of water is something that they can pass on to their own children. It may seem like common sense to drink water to an adult, but often if children are left to make their own decision about it, they will reach for the sugary, colored drink available to them over water. Practice healthy habits, educate yourself and be a good role model for your children and show them the importance of water on their bodies.

Enjoy.
– Will

5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water each day

The human body is composed of ¾ of water. It is very important to maintain the desired level of water in the body. Kids don’t know about this fact and there are always more ways to get your kids to drink more water each day, we just have to explore the options available to us as parents. Given this information, therefore, it is necessary to find ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. This can be easily done by, for example, offering water to your children enjoy inside of a fruit infuser water bottle. They’ll love it!

Lack of water in human body leads to dehydration. Dehydration means that the body does not have enough water to help it function properly. We lose water from our bodies through activities every day such as sweating, urinating, breathing, having diarrhea, or even defecating. This does not apply to adults alone, but also to kids. As such, it is very important to employ new and easy ways to get your kids to drink more water wherever you find them.

To recover the water lost through such activities and others, we must hydrate our bodies. This can be done by drinking and eating. Kids are at a much greater risk of dehydration. It is, therefore, necessary to help them develop this habit especially with the hot Summer months of June, July and August upon us to find easy ways to get your kids to drink more water every day.

The importance of drinking water to the body (especially for kids)

1. To keep the body hydrated so that it can function properly.

   As children are growing, it is necessary to keep their bodies hydrated. They should always have unlimited access to clean drinking water. A small loss of body fluids leads to a much greater reduction in the performance of both mental and even physical activities. Dehydration may lead to heat stroke in children. They are more prone to heat stroke than adults.

2. Children thirst mechanisms are less developed than those of adults.

   It is, therefore, important to encourage them to drink water even if they are not thirsty. Signs of dehydration in children include irritability, sleepiness, and headaches. It is also advisable to practice giving children water rather than soft drinks.

3. Water helps to make us look young.

   Water not only keeps joints lubricated, but it also helps in keeping us young and looking young. With enough water in the body, studies have shown that regular water consumption helps slow the signs of aging in human beings. Children also need water to lubricate their young joints as they grow.

4. Water is responsible for transporting nutrients to various body parts.

   Water does this process by transporting the nutrients to various body parts where they are needed most. This helps in enhancing metabolic processes in the body.

5. Importance to the kidneys.

   Kidneys filter about 120 liters of water each day. They cannot function without enough water. If the kidneys fail, to function, then the body cannot get rid of bodily waste. If there is enough excess waste fluids build in the body, it can lead to kidney failure or chronic kidney diseases; if left untreated.

6. Water helps in controlling calories.

   Substituting water for high-calorie beverages can help in weight loss. Those foods with high water content are absorbed more easily by the body. These types of foods include vegetables, beans, fruits, and soups. This is an easy choice to deploy in our ways to get your kids to drink more water because it is a part of eating and being healthy.

Why are your kids lazy when it comes to drinking water?

The raging hormones of your kid might be the cause of development of this type of attitude and something to over come when looking for ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. Water impacts moods in children and other functions like memory recollection and learning abilities. Due to their low memory capacity, children are not able to develop a habit of drinking water.

Children tend to concentrate on activities that are fun for them. They tend to use water inappropriately rather than drinking for their benefits water provides.

Water does not have a pleasing taste that some of the kids may want. Clean drinking water is usually tasteless. You will rarely find kids drinking water unless it is their only option. Instead, they will dirty and waste the water accessible to them. Think of a young child putting water in their mouth, playing with it and spitting it out.

Kids also don’t recognize the early stages of thirst. This can end up making them more vulnerable to dehydration. This can happen, especially when they are in the mobile activities like playing sports where a drinking fountain or water bottle isn’t easily accessible.

Kids have higher water requirements about their body weights than adults. Their bodies are in the stages of fast growth and development. They, however, are unable to maintain proper water levels. They like sweet tasting fluids, which are not recommended due to the sugar content and empty calories, colors and dyes added to many of these kinds of beverages.

5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water

To make e sure that your kids are not dehydrated is not an easy task. It’s not about just telling them to drink water. The following steps may be applied as several ways to get your to kids drink more water each day.

1. Buy water bottles for your kids.

   This will be applicable especially when it is hot and kids are sweating. Give them water bottles to use as their drinking water to make sure that they are hydrated.

   You can buy them the best fruit infuser water bottle. This is one of the best choices you can make.

   You can also buy them a stainless steel bottle as one of the ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. This bottle contains a material similar to cooking utensils. It is easy to clean and does not contain holes.

   Check your kids as they go to school to ensure that they bring a water bottle with them. This will help them in saving time going to the water fountain. They can conveniently drink anytime they feel thirsty and carry on with their day as another of our ways to get your kids to drink more water every day.

   Let your kids drink water from their favorite bottle of their choosing. Start by asking your kids what they want their water bottle to look like so they will like to drink water from their favorite water bottle. Try to see if you can find such a bottle in the store. By doing so, your kids are better encouraged and engaged with drinking water on a more regular basis as one of the ways to get your to kids drink more water.

   All these practices will help your kids drink more water overall.

2. Engage your kids in doing some water activities.

   This activity is effective and entertaining in teaching your kids the importance of water as one of the ways to get your kids to drink more water. You can engage your kids in activities such as canoeing or walking near a river or ocean. You can also encourage them to swim, especially during Summer. This will offer a refreshing and good exercise activity when it is hot outside.

3. Share water fruits with your kids.

   Some fruits, as mentioned above have plenty of water in them naturally. Try sharing fruits like watermelon with your kids. Watermelon consists of about 92% water. It is high in protein and lowers blood pressure. It can also improve the metabolic processes of the body.

   Other fruits that you can share are strawberries. These fruits do not have calories, and they have a lot of fiber.

   Coconut water is low in fat and calories but rich in minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. And kids will love it. Not only is coconut water a nutritious drink, coconut oil also has some prominent effects on the skin, such as reducing cellulite and jock itch.

4. Teach your kids about the water safety.

   For example, while swimming; teach them to make sure that they go swimming while there is an adult watching. Stress to them the importance of the dangers of going swimming in deep waters, like the possibility of drowning. Here are some measures on Windy Pinwheel that you can take to ensure you are doing what you can to protect your children from drowning when it comes to pool safety.

5. Keep water at your child’s preferred temperature in the room.

   The last item in our list of ways to get your kids to drink more water is to allow your children to choose their preferred water temperature. Also, try to hide carbonated and sugary drinks to encourage them to drink more water.

Conclusion

Water for children is a healthy and also very important habit to develop to them while they are still young. Instilling the habit early in life will enable your children to grow up with the habit, which, in turn, they can extend to their children.

Be a good role model to your kids and drink plenty of water yourself as one of the ways to get your kids to drink more water each day. You will find that they will learn from you and definitely like water as they get older. Water keeps children healthy and also helps them to perform better in school. We should always be looking for new ways to get your kids to drink more water and it starts with you, mom and dad. Practice the habits you want your kids to reflect that you value.

With the effects of dehydration like the possible reduction in physical and mental performance, the results are easily seen in the classroom. Chronic dehydration, over a long period of time, may cause illness and health problems.

Start a healthy habit and share water with your children.

What did you think of these ways to get your kids to drink more water each day? Do you have any to add to the conversation? What methods do you use as ways to get your kids to drink more water each day? We’d love to hear about it. Please comment below and let us know.

About the Guest Post Author

Amelia is a writer/editor with an endless passion for bringing a lot of useful and trustworthy information to the community. She founded StayHealthyWays.com, a blog dedicated to sharing quality articles related to health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. As a typical interior, Amelia is a perfectionist in work. At times of leisure, she reads, listens to music, chats with some close friends and walks with her pet.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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5 fun ways to cook using a pressure cooker

Today’s guest post comes to us from Chef Faisal Aziz at Best Pressure Cooker Reviews a website dedicated to the fun and food you can cook using a pressure cooker. This article outlines just how safe a pressure cooker can be to use if you follow Faisal’s 5 easy to follow tips on safe cooking using a pressure cooker. Growing up my mom used to cook using a pressure cooker to make deep fried prawns and scallops and the best fried chicken this side of the Mississippi. My mom’s family had midwest roots and the food I ate younger was a reflection of those roots. I can tell you that food that comes from a pressure cooker is like nothing else. It is so juicy and moist and not everything has to be deep fried. It is just that some of the tastiest food usually is that comes from a pressure cooker. That being said, please take a look at the article below and find out how much fun and how safe it is to cook using a pressure cooker.

Enjoy.
– Will

Enlightening details about the 5 most important steps for safe pressure cooking

Introduction to safe pressure cooking

Pressure cookers are considered some of the most convenient and safest cooking options. This is because a pressure cooker does not require much supervision while you cook using a pressure cooker. One just needs to set the timer and wait for the food to cook since the timer will switch off when the food is cooked. This means it is not necessary to stay nearby while the food is cooking and as a result one can start cooking and proceed to do other things. However, it is always important to observe safety while you cook using a pressure cooker. Here are the 5 most important steps for safe pressure cooking:

1. Ensure there is ample space
   As the name suggests, pressure cookers use pressure and steam to cook different kinds of foods. This means that there needs to be enough space inside the pot for the pressure. Because of this, it is important to avoid filling the cooking pots to the brim. This is because there will be no space for pressure and this can cause accidents. There are also some types of foods which expand when they are cooked and one needs to consider the space they will occupy after they expand.
2. Avoid opening the lid before the cooker is switched off
   It is always recommended that one should wait until the food is properly cooked until you move to open the cooker. Opening before the food is cooked will allow the pressure which was cooking the food to escape. Besides hindering proper cooking, this can be dangerous because the pressure also release steam which is usually hot. The hot steam can cause burns and it can be even more dangerous when it gets into one’s face. This makes it important to keep the lid on until the cooker is switched off. You can read power pressure cooker reviews for more instructions here on the necessary safety precautions one needs to take when handling a pressure cooker.
3. Regulate Pressure
   Pressure cookers come with options to adjust the pressure and heat levels depending on what is being cooked and the stage of cooking. Some types of food require a lot of heat so that they can cook properly and therefore they need high pressure levels. By not monitoring the pressure levels the pressure can be too much and eventually cause accidents. If a person is cooking while doing other things, it is advisable to use moderate pressure levels which are not likely to cause accidents.



4. Utilizing The Timer
   The timer of the pressure cooker is meant to stop the cooker once the time set has elapsed. But some people do not use a timer and this can cause problems. When the timer is not set, one can forget about the food getting cooked or get engaged in other things, consequently allowing the cooker to run unmonitored. The pressure cooker can experience problems or cause accidents if it remains running for long hours. This is why it is important to set the timer since it will stop the cooker even if the person cooking is not present.
5. Place The Cooker On A Firm Flat Place
   Even if there is no enough space it is always advisable to look for space which will hold the cooker firmly while it is cooking. This avoids the accidents that can be caused by the cooker tipping over and falling to the floor. This is one of the simplest safety tips but one where most people do not pay much attention to it. Therefore, by following the outlined steps one can safely do pressure cooking and enjoy well cooked foods.

It is my hope that when following these 5 basic safety measures when cooking with a pressure cooker, you will not only find out how easy it is to use a pressure cooker, but you will also learn to make many great meals with this fantastic cooking device. Please stop by my website and find out more about the fun and great tasting meals you can make with a pressure cooker.

About the Guest Post Author

Chef Faisal Aziz is the author of Best Pressure Cooker Reviews, a hobby niche blogger. Faisal loves to cook and publish his experience with his pressure cooker at Best Pressure Cooker Reviews.

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For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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4 food safety rules you can’t overlook when cooking with children

Today’s guest post comes to us from Lauren D. Brown atMess Makes Food and she writes about 4 must-follow food safety rules when cooking with children. Nothing can be more rewarding that doing an activity with your child where they are learning. One of those activities is cooking with children and helping them to learn to prepare and cook a meal from start to finish, including safely storing the food after the meal. Lauren speaks about how to properly ensure the safety of your family when it comes to cooking with children that might be something a child would not think about from washing hands to food prep to storage, Lauren covers each aspect as a reminder so that we all remain healthy and happy in our household. I really enjoyed the read. I hope you do too.

Enjoy.
– Will

4 must-follow food safety rules when cooking with children

Healthy cooking must start with food safety. If parents want to cook with their children often, a good way to start is by using something easy when cooking for kids, such as teach them how to cook rice using rice cooker or ask them to help you wash your vegetables carefully. It is necessary to teach them the fundamental rules of cooking, but it still enables a safe cooking with children experience. Let’s allow our kids to be food safety explorers! Don’t let bacteria have the ability to grow! Right now, we will learn the basics, including, clean, separate, cook, and chill.

4 Basic rules on food safety – checklist for children

Basically, food poisoning, due to viruses and bacteria, can be prevented by four simple rules when both parents and children are preparing a meal:

1. Clean – Wash your own and your children’s hands often

No one can deny the importance of washing your hands. Nonetheless, aside from that, cleaning all the surfaces of your kitchen is also vital, in particular, the countertops, the kitchen appliance, the reusable bags, and others (even if you need to peel or slice anything before cooking).

Taking a specific example, the inside of your microwave is easy to get dirty, owing to the food that can cover the insides of the microwave, so the bacteria can grow quickly. Correspondingly, it is necessary to clean both the outside and inside, involving, the buttons and handles to prevent food poisoning.

Washing hands in the right and most thorough way will dramatically decrease or remove the risk of food poisoning. Additionally, the spread of flu or cold is also minimized a significantly. Here are some things to always consider. You should also was wash your hands:

• Before and after eating, preparing the meal, after handling the pet, using the toilet, changing diapers.
• With the warm soapy water ~ 20 seconds. Asking your kids to sing a song while washing their hands can help these 20 seconds breeze on by.
• Cleaning the surfaces of the kitchen, particularly, the countertops, freezer, tables, fridge, shelves, and others

2. Separate – store your foods in a separate way – poultry, eggs, raw meat, and seafood

Cross-contamination can happen once germs from raw/ unclean objects (meat, fish, poultry,…) are placed close to the ready-to-eat or cooked dishes.

• Keep your foods separate so that it can prevent the cooked foods from cross-contamination by raw poultry, egg, meat, and seafood.
• Utilize more than a single cutting board – one for the cooked/ready-to-eat foods (vegetables, bread, fruits,…) and another for seafood, raw meat, and poultry.
• Clean these cutting boards with the warm soapy water after using and put them in your dishwasher. Additionally, you should also utilize a sanitizing solution or bleach solution on your cutting boards and don’t forget to rinse thoroughly with water after that that activity.
• Be sure to discard old cutting boards when you begin to see cracks, excessive scars of knives, and crevices.

3. Chill – Refrigerate properly to 40F or lower

The majority of the food safety programs recommend that housewives should refrigerate their foods properly at a suitable temperature. The purpose is to prevent food poisoning and slow the growing process of bacteria.

• Sets your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and fridge under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place a fridge thermometer in your fridge. Don’t forget to check it frequently.
• Put the foods that you bought from the store in the refrigerator and freezer right away, especially the perishable foods.
• Refrigerate any leftover foods from your meal.
• Store your foods in small containers ~ 2 inches or less.
• Consume packaged foods based on its use-by date/date of expiration.
• Use cold-running water or the microwave in order to thaw the frozen foods before cooking with children.
• Marinate your meats in the refrigerator.

4. Chill – Refrigerate properly to 400F or lower

Meat, egg, fish, seafood, and poultry must be cooked at the proper temperature so as to destroy any harmful bacteria. Even though you cook with modern appliances such as using a toaster oven, it’s also necessary to choose the right temperature for your dishes.

• To check to make sure each of the following meats are done: poultry, meat, seafood, fish, and dishes with eggs. Be sure to utilize a food thermometer if you are unsure of when a certain type of meat isn’t cooked completely yet.
• Leftover foods must be reheated at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. For older adults, reheat all deli style meat as well.
• Boil the meat marinade ~ few minutes if you want to use it for your meal.
• Follow the proper temperature below for your dish:
  • + Lamb, beef, veal ~ 1450F;
  • + Ground lamb, beef, veal ~ 1450F;
  • + Pork ~ 1600F;
  • + Egg dishes, casseroles ~ 1600F;
  • + Poultry ~ 1650F;
  • + Leftover ~ 1650F;
  • + Ground poultry ~ 1650F;
  • + Using a fork with and knife to open opaque meat to check how done it is on the inside;

It is my hope that these 4 rules will help parents have a healthy cooking with children experience. At the same time, the risk of food poisoning is also minimized and/or eliminated by keeping everyone safe from germs.

About the Guest Post Author

I’m Lauren, founder of Mess Makes Food. My passion is delicious dishes from all over the world. I like to introduce my healthy recipes to my readers. I also want to share my opinions on how to choose best kitchen gadgets and some tips on cooking processes. Make, have, and enjoy many great meals together with your children!

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Are you a household chef, cook or foodie? This post is for you.

As an owner of Cutco cutlery (I used to sell them while in college), I pretty much consider myself a knife snob. Our latest guest post author, Julia Jones from Boston, MA, offers her own insight below regarding your choice in cutlery for use in your home.

Enjoy.
– Will

Using The Right Knives For Your Cooking

At a first glance, it might look difficult to make the distinction between a quality knife and a random one. After all, you can’t tell how the quality of a knife is by looking at it, turning it around, inspecting and touching it. Instead, you need to use it for a while in order to determine whether or not it meets your needs. After all, different people have different quality standards. The more you use the respective knife, the easier it becomes to recommend it further. With all these, there are some aspects to look at in order to figure how good and durable a knife will be.

Look for a perfect assembly

A perfect assembly is a main necessity. Make sure there are no useless parts in its assembly. Instead, everything should match. Look at the bonding between the blade and the handle before anything else. It is important for these two parts to blend with no gaps. Gaps are extremely important for the overall hygiene. If these things present any irregularities, the respective gaps become excellent environments for growing bacteria. It is easy to realize that such microorganisms will infect anything you use the knife for.

Safety comes first

In knives, safety is directly proportional with ergonomics. An ergonomic handle makes the operation safe and secure. The handle must be properly created to be kept with no risks at all. It should not slip either. After all, chances are you will cook with your hands wet due to all the groceries that require cleaning upfront. An ergonomic design and a perfect weight will allow you to use the knife with no safety risks at all.

Inspect the blade responsibly

The metallic blade and the way it was manufactured will tell you a lot about the quality standards. Knives are no longer made like ten years ago. Today, there are a wide number of advanced technologies that can seriously enhance the cutting capability. Moreover, durability is not to be ignored either. The sharper a knife is, the better it will maintain its blade and cutting qualities. Moreover, you should know that a quality knife will maintain its blade in a good shape for long periods of time.

Look at the blade surface

The blade surface can be enriched with all kinds of elements, only to make the knife more efficient in cutting particular foods. Different foods require different types of blades. But if there is one thing that matches to all kinds of knives, that is the surface quality. The better polished it is, the more durable it becomes in front of oxidation.

Not sure about the brand?

The brand is not always relevant, yet some brands are world renowned for their quality standards. Choosing one of these brands will ensure that the manufacturing technologies are performed at the highest standards. There are plenty of technological procedures required to manufacture a top notch knife and each of them must be maintained by the book. All these things lead to a good final result, as well as an exquisite cooking performance.

About the Guest Post Author

Julia is an avid food enthusiast who loves everything about cooking and especially using modern tech in cooking that can make even a novice cook look like an expert chef. She occasionally shares her opinion about the latest and craziest kitchen gadgets on the Kitchen Gadgets Wars blog.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

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July is here and the heat of the summer marches on. Here are some fun activities to inspire your summer.

Well, July is here and this Friday is July 4th… Independence Day. For us, here at Windy Pinwheel, the first half of the year really flew by. With the heat of the Summer in full swing, we thought we would share some great ideas for fun Summer activities found throughout the internet… well mostly Pinterest of some things to do this July 4th and beyond.

July 4th in Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe, Nevada

First, we would like you to take a look bring some previous articles that we published last year around this time discussing the many things there are to do in the area on the July 4th Independence Day holiday, here and if you’re interested in a day trip to Lake Tahoe, please take a look at our write-up about where to go from a local’s perspective.

A summer treat

Have you ever had a root beer float? How about a root beer float popsicle? Well, now you can make your own. Find out how at Raining Hot Coupons.

I’m finished swimming, where can I hang and dry my swimsuit?

With Summer comes the unavoidable time for swimming, spalshing, and water play. So, where do you dry your swimsuit? Have no fear, this DIY project will set your mind at ease and bring a decorative element to your towel rack for all things swim and water-related. Learn how to make this craft at A Turtle’s Life for Me.

July 4th activities

• Over at Sophie’s World find out about some adventurous ways to have a fourth of July picnic.
• What Rose Knows shares with us how to create a beautiful patriotic-themed basket for hosting any dining experience during the fourth.
• I Love to Create brings back the 70’s the American way with their version of a DIY tie-dye red, white and blue shirt.

We hope these activies and other ideas inspire you this summer to keep cool and have a wonderful Independence Day holiday.

What’s your favorite article we shared with you in this post? Share by leaving a comment below.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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“Arrgh, arrgh, arrgh!” – Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, a Home Improvement television sitcom character played by Tim Allen

With Summer and Father’s Day right around the corner, we thought we would hold a giveaway celebrating all that is man, manly, and neanderthal by hosting a giveaway as a part of the Backyard BBQ Giveaway Hop hosted by Review Wire Media

For the Backyard BBQ Giveaway Hop, we decided to offer up the Weber 6630 Original 3-Piece Stainless Steel Tool Set to one lucky winner. Besides, any outdoor man’s man needs a good set of barbecue tongs, a spatula and a fork for grilling the world’s best meats and vegetables for his family#Besides, any tetosterone-laden man’s man needs a good set of barbecue tongs, a spatula and fork to grill the world’s tastiest foods set to fire expressing domination over nature, bi-winning at the hands of someone infused with tiger blood mixed with Adonis DNA in taming the wild fires of all creation. The unique front end soft-touch handle offers comfortable, non-slip grip for all the metro-sexual men out there as well. The tong handle locks for compact storage and the spatula has an angled neck to reach over the edge of any grill, keeping your hands and arms away from heat. Finally, the fork tines are designed to pierce food without shredding it. But hey, if you like shredded meat, that’s your perogative as a man, right?

Does that sound like what a man can handle? “Arrgh, arrgh, arrgh!”

We thought so.

With Father’s day and Summer right around the corner, who couldn’t use a set of grilling tools to lend you some assistance in creating a meal equivalent to your masterpiece, your magnum opus, or pièce de résistance, if you will, for the entire family to enjoy.

Please sign up below to win this set absolutely perfect for any man’s man (ahem, or woman) to use to dominate the grill for all-time. Hurry, you have until June 18, 2013 9:00 PM PDT / 12:00 AM EDT to enter.

Be a man and sign up to win today!

*Contest is available to entries from the United States and Canada only.

All participating bloggers are offering a prize to help kick off the grilling season. After you enter all the sizzling giveaways, make sure to stop by The Review Wire to enter the Grand Prize! 80s Tees and Little Tikes will be sponsoring the Grand Prize. This hop will run from June 4-18. Get your grill on!

Disclosure: Windy Pinwheel is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

Companies and bloggers, if you would like to participate in group giveaway events like this one, sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by The Review Wire.