Why do we get ready to cook?
Before you start cooking, there are some very important things that you need to do.
This is to make sure that you don’t add any germs to the food.
This makes it safe for you and other people to eat.
Video: Getting ready to cook
Find out more about what steps you need to take when getting ready to cook.
Suzie: I'm in my kitchen with Anna and Solomon and we're about to make some food. Who's hungry?
Anna: I am!
Solomon: Me too!
Suzie: Then let's make some sandwiches! But wait! What do we need to do before we start?
Anna: Tie our hair back!
Suzie: That's right, you can ask an adult if you need help. Do you know why we need to do this?
Solomon: Because we don't want any hair in our food.
Suzie: Definitely not! Or jewellery, because it might be carrying germs that could get into our food, so I'd better take mine off.
Anna: Let's roll our sleeves up!
Suzie: Now we've finished with our hair, jewellery and clothes, we can wash our hands with warm water. Don't forget your nails!
Solomon: Let's do the rhyme!
Suzie: Wet your hands, take some soap, let's start our wash routine.
Anna: Clean each finger, one by one, and the spaces in between.
Solomon: Rub your palms, front and back, and don't forget each thumb.
Suzie: Now rinse them clean. Make them dry. Turn off the tap. You're done!
Drying our hands properly is important too because damp hands can spread a lot more germs than dry hands can!
What's next?
Anna: Put clean aprons on to protect our clothes.
Suzie: Yes! And to stop any germs or dust that are on our clothes from getting near our food.
Hygiene means being clean and avoiding harmful germs. And hygiene is important when it comes to cooking and preparing food. Why do we not want germs near our food?
Solomon: Because if we eat food with germs in it, we might get ill.
Anna: People we cook for might get ill too.
Suzie: Right! And we really don't want that! I wiped this worktop down earlier, so that it's a clean and clear work surface. Are we ready to start?
Anna: Yes!
Suzie: Okay let's get started! We need to remember to continue to follow good hygiene practices the whole time we are cooking. It is important to try not to touch your face, hair and clothes and if you do, say you "achoo" sneeze.
Solomon: Bless you!
Suzie: Thank you!
Suzie: What should we do?
Anna: Wash your hands again.
Suzie: Yes! If you are cooking with raw ingredients, like meat, fish or eggs, you should always wash your hands after touching the raw product. We also need to keep our utensils and surfaces clean as we are cooking.
Anna: Sometimes we need to wash food before we prepare or cook it, like these vegetables.
Solomon: These look yummy!
Suzie: Yes, and all safely and hygienically prepared! Good work! Now let's see what they taste like!
How do we get ready to cook?
These are the five things that you always need to do before you start cooking.
It is important to do them in the right order.
Follow the five important steps to keep germs away from food.
These first three steps can be done in any order.
First:
Tie back long hair so that it is away from the food.
Take off any jewellery, especially rings, watches and bracelets.
Roll your sleeves up above your elbows.
Then:
- Wash and dry your hands.
Finally:
- Put on a clean apron to protect your clothes.
What are germs?
Germs are tiny living things that are everywhere.
They are so small that you need a microscope to see them.
Most germs don't cause us any harm.
Some germs that you can find in people’s noses, throats and on their hands can make us ill.
When cooking, it is important to wash your hands after you sneeze or cough so that you don’t add any germs to the food.
You need to make sure that all your work surfaces and cooking tools are clean too.
Quiz: Let's get ready to cook!
Can you follow the correct steps to make sure you are ready to cook?
More on Cooking and nutrition
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