If you want to raise a self-sufficient adult, you have to allow children to do things for themselves. If you sit a 4-year-old down and make every meal for her, how will she learn how to make a meal — even a simple one — for herself?
This is the basis of the Montessori method of education, but it's also practical. You are one person. You are busy. Your child is hungry and motivated. You'd be surprised — given the opportunity and permission — how much she can do for herself.
Probably, though, she isn't ready to use the skillet and stove. That's OK. She doesn't have to be.
Check out these $10 pouches that let her make a yummy grilled cheese sandwich using only the toaster.
Easy enough for a child.
The key to empowering kids to take on the small tasks of life is making it easy. These reusable toaster bags from Uncommon Goods ($10) make it so simple to create a delicious grilled cheese sandwich that kids can make something they love without practice, mess, or danger.
Just put the bread and cheese in the bag. Pop the bag in the toaster. Eat.
"Love these bags!" raves on reviewer. "Now my boys can make grilled cheese without me worrying about them using the stove while I'm gone and without the mess."
Skip the messy kitchen.
If your past experience of kids in the kitchen is that the mess they leave is not worth it, you will love these toaster bags. They keep all the mess in the bag. Even the toaster stays clean.
The reusable bags are dishwasher-safe, so they're easy to clean, too.
In fact, it keeps the toaster clean enough that even a mom with a gluten allergy lets her kids put bread in the toaster, as long as they use these bags.
"This is GREAT for making a relatively mess-free, hot, quick meal on the run," she says in her review. "It keeps my son's gluten out of my gluten-free toaster!"
Take it on the road.
Even when you're traveling, these make a handy way to feed kids, help them feed themselves, feed yourself, and stay out of restaurants. All you need is a toaster (most hotels have those in the breakfast area), bread, and cheese. Anyone can put together an evening snack in any kitchen, no matter how basic, with these.
And they can be a lifesaver for anyone with a serious gluten sensitivity.
"People with Celiac disease generally have to use separate toasters because bread crumbs from regular bread can cause severe reactions. So, these baggies protect the gluten free bread from cross contamination. I travel a lot so I bring these on the road with me to use in hotel breakfast rooms or friend's houses."
Psst: If you choose to purchase an item from this post, CafeMom may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
