One of the most valuable life skills to have is cooking, which not only promotes independence but also encourages creativity and fosters a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or just starting out, having the right tools in your kitchen can make all the difference.
As someone who loves to cook and teaches life skills to special education students, I’ve discovered some amazing cooking items on Amazon that have made my culinary endeavors even more enjoyable. In this article, I’ll be sharing my top 5 favorite cooking items from Amazon that are perfect for anyone looking to enhance their cooking experience. From innovative gadgets to practical utensils, there’s something here for every level of cook.
Kitchen Safety Knives
It can be a little nerwracking to teach our students to cut using a knife. I have had these safety knives for years and they take the stress our of cutting items for a cooking lesson. They are effective enough to cut raw vegetables like peppers and cucumbers.
Microwave Rice Cooker
One the difficult things about fitting cooking in to the classroom is that you can be really limited if you don’t have larger appliances. Thankfully, a microwave can heat up lots of different food items. I have used this rice cooker to (duh) make rice. I love these type of items because we may have some students that may only be able to independently handle using a microwave. These types of items make it easier to complete more complex cooking endeavors.
Microwave Popcorn Maker
As easy as it is to have a few bags of popcorn tucked away in your closet, I really love having a popcorn maker. It’s so fun to watch the kernels pop (and such a great way to evoke language!). Plus, you can switch up the ways you make the popcorn. One way would be using oil instead of butter if you have students that are dairy free. Another would be to add fun add-ins to once-cooked popcorn. This can also be a great tool if you want to start a classroom business making pop and selling it.
Ice Cream Maker Ball
Is it just me, or do you end up with a bunch of extra milks daily from breakfast? It’s just me? Thankfully I have one of these ice cream maker ball this year. This is a great tool to make our very own ice cream. There are two compartments on either side: one for all of the ice cream ingredients, and one for rock salt and ice. You close both sides up and students can play a little roll-the-ball. Simultaneously, the ingredients are turning in to ice cream!
Portable Counter-top Dishwasher
This one is a little pricey coming in at over $200. Honestly speaking, I do not own this item (I teach city kids and NOBODY has a dishwasher). However, I kind of wish I did have one of these when I lived in the city. It would be awesome to have for the end of a cooking lesson.
These 5 kitchen items from Amazon have been game-changers in my life skills classroom. Do you use any of these cooking items in your life skills classroom? Which one is your favorite?
No Comments