Organize Ingredients when Baking with Children
Today is day 4 of my Organizing Tips and More. This is a bit different from the past three posts I wrote about organizing with storage containers but it’s still organizing! Today I’m sharing how to organize ingredients when baking with children.
When Lia starts her baking project she pulls everything out of the pantry and sets them in a row on the counter. She sets up her mixer, gets her measure cups and spoons out and she’s ready to start baking. There are times when we are adding the ingredients we wonder if we forgot anything, especially the baking soda! So we came up with a solution.
We put all the ingredients on one side of the counter and as she adds them to the mixing bowl she moves them to the other side. That way there is no wondering if everything has been added.
Some times Lia doubles a cookie recipe and it calls for up to four cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar. These are added alternately to the liquid ingredients. If we get distracting like by eating the batter, sometimes she isn’t sure if she added 4 cups or 3 1/2 cups of flour. So one way to keep track is to write the ingredients on a 3×5 card and add check marks as the ingredients are added to the bowl.
Another way Lia likes to keep track of how many cups have been added is to drop a chocolate chip in a small bowl each time she adds a cup of flour and sugar. That way she gets to eat them when the batter is all made! LOL
A simple way to organize ingredients when baking with children but this even works with adults that may get distracted when baking!
Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Friday Story Time by Lia to see her great idea how she uses a storage container!
Great ideas even Charlie and I can use. Because there is times I get distracted and could use a reminder or two. Thank you for sharing. I will look for Lia’s story tomorrow. Have a good day. Thanks for being part of the #UBC
It’s so easy for anyone to get distracted when baking Glenda, not just children. The phone, doorbell or other distractions can dull my mind easily and I then have to rethink how many cups I added.
I love the photo with Lia liking the beater. Super cute.
Every time I see Lia licking the beater it bring back memories of when I did that with my grandmother Amanda. I still liked licking the beater but when Lia started baking she took that job over! LOL
I love this tip for organizing ingredients when baking with children – it’s simple and effective.
It’s great that you found a solution to keep track of everything and make sure nothing is missed. I also liked the idea of writing the ingredients on a 3×5 card and adding check marks, it makes it easy to keep track of what’s been added.
The chocolate chips in a small bowl for keeping track of cups added is a fun idea and a yummy way to make baking even more enjoyable. I can’t wait to see what Lia’s idea for using a storage container is tomorrow, thanks for sharing these tips and I’ll be sure to check out Friday Story Time by Lia!
As I was writing this blog I realized it’s not just children who get distracted when baking Paul, I sometimes do too! The doorbell, phone or other distractions make it easy to forget how many cups of sugar were added. Lia loves keeping track with the chocolate chips and they eating them as a treat while her sweets are baking! Thanks for visiting Paul!
This is a great idea, and I do something similar when I bake. Since the majority of the ingredients are in one cabinet, I pull all the items out that I will use, and as I used them, I stick them in the cabinet immediately. That has really helped!
That works Angie! We have some of the bulky items like flour and sugar in the pantry and the other ingredients in the cupboard but I may be switching things around and making room in the cupboard for every thing so it’s in one place. Thanks for you tip!
Another great post. mis en place, French for putting in place; getting ingredients prepared and measured before started to cook or bake, has helped me tremendously especially since I have aphasia and have trouble with short term memory (not unlike a child. Lol) I love Lia’s strategy using chocolate chips . I NEED to steal that.
Oh Cheryl, that’s a great idea! By having everything measured and waiting, there is no room for error! Thanks for the tip, now go get a small dish for counting with your chocolate chips!
Love the idea. I actually put my ingredients into little pans- by themselves if they are critical or combined if they should be. Then, I ut everything away (but the containers) and can proceed.
Great idea Roy, that’s how Cheryl mentioned she does it too. Thanks for your idea!
Martha, perfect! When I line up the ingredients in order, I save a lot of time. I love Lia’s chips-in-small-bowl for counting. Kindof an abacus without rods. 🙂
Yes it does save time to have everything in order before starting a baking project Kebba. She loves the chip counting idea!
Those are some great ideas! I like to bake cookies, too.
Baking cookies is the greatest Amanda! Lia and I are always looking for new recipes.
Lia is a tremendously talented baker. She has an amazing gift, and I would definitely follow her example.
Thank you Alice! Lia loves baking and likes to organize her ingredients before baking.
I see she’s using her Pampered Chef measuring cup 🥰 I got me a set & you were SO right, I LOVE them! 🙌🏼 She’s a perfect lil baker!
The measuring cup is so easy to use especially for peanut butter or ricotta cheese, it just pushes right out. I won’t say what Lia said it looks like Ashley! LOL