How will you cook for pesach with your kids home

amother

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 3:47 pm

I'm dreading the cooking for pesach with my 3yo coming in every second. How do you cook with your kids home (and not when they are in bed because I'm tired then) and not yell at them or loose it in the process? And not when they're in school cuz they're home a few days b4 pesach.

amother

Silver

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 3:51 pm

I set my kids up on the floor with peelers and potatoes or apples. (Yes, even the 3-yo; I show them how to be careful and the biggest danger is a small cut.)

Alternatively, before I start cooking, I cut up some fruit for them to snack on and have them stay in the kitchen while I work. I find that if I keep up some patter (cooking show style) it can sometimes keep them entertained.

I don't cook much before Yom Tov, I cook basically for each day as it comes. I stick with a simple menu and it's fine.

amother

Goldenrod

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:07 pm

My kids peel. I own tons of peeler. My kids wear plastic gloves to protect their fingers. They manage to peel loads of potatoes, apples, vegetables. They wear aprons. I cover table with tablecloths. Play music. It’s fun.
Wash toys. Bucket of plain water. Lots of towels. Toys like clicks. Just make sure to keep eye on them with water.
Buy new toys for pesach and let play with them once a room is clean.

SingALong

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:16 pm

I think you’ll get a lot of advice...we all did it last year remember!

I find working in advance helps, which you can do if you have a Pesach kitchen. I usually start a few days after Purim, I do it when my kids are in school and at night after they go to sleep.

Without a Pesach kitchen I’d kasher and turn over your regular kitchen the Sunday/Monday before Pesach, that gives you at least 3 days to cook. Keep it simple, as much food baked in the oven as possible rather than stove top. I also use my slow cooker a lot.

I keep my kids busy with a spray bottle and a shmatte in the playroom nearby. Older ones can help peel vegetables.
I buy Pesach nosh for the week before Pesach so I don’t care if the kids walk around with it. It’s not chometz. I also make Pesach dip suppers, like vegetable soup, chicken and potatoes.

Last year my teens were bored so they cooked and baked a lot while I watched the little kids play outside.

amother

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:35 pm

SingALong wrote:

This year my son was only 2 and was less out of my way. Now he follows me around all day plus bH have a baby also.
Last year we turned over the house completely a few days before. Now my husband is telling me he wants to keep the dining room chometz up until 2 days before. That means any time my lo comes in the kitchen I'll have to make sure he doesn't track anything in.

thunderstorm

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:46 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Make sure not to have chometz food for your little one for an entire week before. Give your child kitnios items to eat during that time. If chometz is a must , it gets eaten outside on the step with Mommy’s supervision.

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:46 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Turning over early does have its challenges but has many more advantages.
Here are some tips so family doesn't feel they're starving:
We have a microwave that we set up in the last minute turnover room, so people can make or reheat all sorts of stuff - pizza, nachos, etc.
Kitniyos, like rice cakes and corn chips.

If there are other compelling reasons to turn over later than gives you menuchas hanefesh, then you'll definitely need extra help/lower expectations. If that's not possible, I hope you can do it early.
Hatzlacha.

ra_mom

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:48 pm

I learned to slowly prepare things, 1 at a time in the days leading up to YT.

Break down your menu, dish by dish, work backwards and create a list that way of what should be made each day.

All items that need to be boiled in a pot- done one day when washing up all the pots is doable for you.

Vegetables & steaks that need to be roasted/ broiled right before YT, are cut/marinated the day before, so there is no mess when making those last minute items the day of YT.

For supper we cook regular delicious food and serve it outside with Chometz, so we don't feel deprived and it doesn't feel like pesach food.

Burgers in buns.
Grilled chicken served in baguettes.
Hot dogs and buns.
Deli on Kaiser rolls.
Or chicken on skewers and KLP frozen French fries baked on a cookie sheet in the oven.

This will allow you to switch over the kitchen Motzei Shabbos without feeling deprived of chometz foods. Use those fancy KLP "extras" during this week before pesach. Hot dogs, frozen fries, bamba, bissli... Kitniyos snacks that wouldn't be eaten on pesach but are comfortable to have around a pesachdik home. Keep the kids (and dh) happy and well fed.

Just have everything planned out on lists so that you run on schedule and don't fall behind. Show dh the list so he understands how many days are really needed.

amother

Cyan

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:51 pm

Get him a little cutting board and trash can.
Set him up with bananas and strawberries to cut with a plastic knife.
Give him cucumbers to peel with a Swiss peeler.
Let him mix water in one bowl and transfer it into another bowl using a small measuring cup (if you’re ok mopping up after).
Get him a small broom and dustpan and tell him you need help sweeping the entire house.

amother

Burgundy

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 4:53 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Why does he want the dining room chometz until two days before

amother

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 5:16 pm

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

Why does he want the dining room chometz until two days before

He said there's no need to turn over the rest of the apartment before. We have a very small apartment and everything tracks in from one room to the next very fast.

doodlesmom

Sun, Feb 07 2021, 6:09 pm

Even if you keep the dining room chometz don’t allow chometz snacks etc into the house for the last 2 weeks.
Once the pesach kitchen is open only give your kid chometz under your watch and keep the chometz high up.
There will be no issue with the tracking etc.