Hot Dog Slicer
Did you know that hot dogs are the #1 cause of food-related choking incidents in children under the age of 3? Consuming hot dogs is more dangerous for young kids than chowing down on grapes, nuts, and hard candy. If you’re pressed for time or have multiple toddlers begging for hot dogs, it can take forever to carefully chop each hot dog into small pieces with a knife (well, at least it feels like forever when you’ve got small children begging you to hurry up and feed them). Save time by using a hot dog slicer to carefully slice hot dogs into small, evenly sized pieces. Doing so might just save your child’s life. Wondering what other kitchen tools every parent needs? Keep scrolling through our informative gallery for helpful info on must-have kitchen tools.
Corn on the Cob Slicer
Remember that time your toddler insisted she wanted corn on the cob with her dinner? Yeah, we know that was only 5 minutes ago, but it turns out she changed her mind. Luckily, a corn on the cob slicer makes it easy to transform corn on the cob into a bowl of juicy corn kernels. Sprinkle a little salt and sugar on top, and you’ve got a kid-friendly grain that goes great with chicken nuggets or fish sticks.
Banana Slicer
Slice a banana faster than your toddler can say “I wanted cereal, not oatmeal” with a handy banana slicer like the one pictured above. Sliced bananas are great on cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, waffles, pancakes, and French Toast. They make tasty snacks and are packed with potassium, a nutrient that helps kids’ bodies develop properly. We’ve also seen banana slicers that fit over the entire banana rather than just the end, so keep that in mind as you shop for a banana slicer.
Apple Slicer
Apples taste better when they’re chopped into wedges rather than eaten whole. At least that’s what our kids say. An apple slicer makes it easy to slice an entire apple in seconds, and all of the pieces are approximately the same size (which is important when you have more than one child). Top the apple slices with peanut butter or almond butter for a hearty helping of protein. Add a few mini chocolate chips if your kids aren’t fans of fruit.
Spiralizer
Did you know wheat can even cause discomfort for children who don’t have a wheat allergy? Wheat affects blood sugar levels, and studies show it can also trigger unpleasant symptoms in some children who have been diagnosed with medical conditions such as ADHD, autism, or depression. A spiralizer lets you sneakily replace wheat noodles with noodles made from sweet potatoes or zucchini. Hand-turned spiralizers and electric spiralizers are two popular options for families on paleo, primal, low-carb, or gluten-free diets.
Cherry Pitter
We’ve already discussed how hot dogs are a major choking hazard, but small children can also choke on cherries. Reduce your child’s risk of choking by removing cherry pits with a cherry pitter. Some pitters can handle multiple cherries at once, which saves you a ton of time in the kitchen.
Citrus Peeler
If you’ve ever clumsily wrangled with the peel of an orange while your kids demanded to know what was taking so long, a citrus peeler is a must-have tool for your kitchen. Use a citrus peeler to quickly and easily pull the peel off of oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, and limes.
Quesadilla Maker
Okay, so a quesadilla maker is more of an appliance than a tool, but we still think every parent needs one. A quesadilla maker is perfect for those evenings when you realize you should have cooked dinner hours ago and need to whip up something in a jiffy. You can also use it for other purposes, like frying hashbrowns.
Strawberry Huller
Got a picky child who won’t touch food that contains anything green hanging off of it? Remove hulls quickly with a strawberry huller. You may also want to invest in a strawberry slicer for evenly sliced pieces perfect for cereal or snacks.
Cookie Cutters
Got a kid who doesn’t like sandwiches? No problem. Use cute cookie cutters to turn basic bread into stars, hearts, and alphabet letters. Cookie cutters slice easily through cheese and soft fruits. You can also use cookie cutters for pancakes, but make sure to buy ones made of metal or heat-resistant plastic so they don’t melt on the griddle.
