" How to make enjoyment healthy and safe "

How can you tell that summer is finally here? It's simple: the smell of grilled meat wafts through gardens, parks and balconies. The adults relax with a glass of wine or beer while the children run around to their heart's content. Barbecuing is therefore the perfect activity for the whole family, as long as you as parents keep an eye on safety.

Fire and sausages are fun for all children

Even babies find the hustle and bustle and atmosphere of a communal barbecue exciting, even though they haven't had much of the good food themselves yet. Toddlers and schoolchildren love the big event. Their parents are totally relaxed and they themselves can play happily with their siblings and friends until the delicious food is ready.

Be careful when barbecuing with children

Older children are curious about how the barbecue actually works. They want to help out and play the grill master themselves. This is a good opportunity to give them detailed instructions on how to handle an open fire. If you pay attention to safety when barbecuing with children, nothing stands in the way of their first experience with the barbecue tongs.

What are the dangers of a barbecue for children?

If you stop to think about it, you might think that the heat in the barbecue is the only source of danger. In fact, small children in particular are unable to assess the danger properly. Out of curiosity, a little hand quickly ends up in the charcoal. Perhaps they are so hungry that it makes sense to try and steal the sausage directly from the grill.

But there is more to consider when barbecuing with children: It's easy to overlook the barbecue when playing wildly in the garden. If you run after the ball, you don't pay attention to obstacles. Objects in the immediate vicinity of the barbecue can cause accidents. If a child stumbles over it, they will involuntarily come into contact with the fire. The ball itself can also land directly in the embers. Then even the barbecue master is no longer safe. It is therefore essential to ensure sufficient safety when barbecuing with children.

As an adult, you must also pay close attention to what you prepare for your children on the grill. Some foods develop harmful substances when exposed to high heat, which can be particularly harmful to a small organism. In addition, a barbecue usually takes place outdoors and with several people. Supervision during the meal is then difficult. Therefore, do not give a small child in particular any crockery or cutlery that could injure them. Glasses and sharp knives should always be excluded. Instead, use child-friendly cutlery and robust children's tableware.

Safe handling of open fires

To ensure that none of the above-mentioned accidents happen to your children, you should follow a few basic rules when barbecuing with and for children: The play area must be clearly separated from the preparation and eating area for safety. Ideally, there should be a barrier to keep the ball and child away from the embers. The barbecue itself should have a firm base and be set up in a place protected from the wind to prevent uncontrolled flying sparks. Under no circumstances should easily flammable objects be placed near the barbecue.

Caution with open fires

As a general rule, barbecues are only safe if at least one adult is constantly supervising the fire. This also applies to the time after eating, as the embers can remain very warm for a long time. Make sure that young children in particular know in advance which parts get hot and are therefore absolutely taboo. Do this directly on the cold barbecue so that it is easy to understand.

Dress your children in clothes made from natural fibers. These are less flammable than synthetic fibers. Lighters, lighters and matches belong at the barbecue and in your own household where small children cannot reach them. Just in case, keep a fire extinguisher, a blanket or a bucket of sand next to the barbecue area. Make sure you never extinguish burning fat with water!

Ensure sufficient safety measures are in place

Healthy barbecuing for children

A small child must not eat everything that adults eat. The developing body reacts much more sensitively to toxins than an adult. It is therefore essential that you generously cut off all burnt, black parts of the food before serving it to your child. The burnt pieces contain carcinogenic substances.

The bluish smoke that rises when fat drips into the embers during grilling is just as unhealthy. Placing barbecue trays or aluminum foil underneath reduces this risk considerably. However, always pay attention to what you are cooking. Cured meat products such as Vienna sausages, Leberkäse or Fleischwurst must never be exposed to high heat. Otherwise a chemical reaction will produce carcinogenic nitrosamines. The same also applies to smoked fish or bacon. You can place uncured and unsmoked meat on the grill without risk. The same applies to fish and poultry when barbecuing for children.

An afternoon barbecue is the perfect opportunity to introduce children to healthy vegetables that they would normally spurn. An aluminum foil full of peppers, mushrooms and zucchini topped with a little oil and cheese tastes fantastic in the fresh air. Try it with small skewers alternating meat and carrots. Corn on the cob is, of course, an already popular classic. The food tastes even better when served on served on colorful children's plates with great is served.

The supporting program

To ensure that the children don't compete with each other for the barbecue tongs, a varied supporting program is a good idea. Set up a paddling pool, start the sprinkler or organize community games for young and old. Sack races, egg races and three-legged races are popular classics. Make sure that your rascals don't forget to drink on hot afternoons because of all the games. A a pretty drinking bottle with their own name can be very motivating. It should always be within reach.

Another good idea is a barbecue for a child's birthday party. Even toddlers will find something they like. Everyone gets to turn the sausages once and at the end, marshmallows are grilled over the remaining embers. At the beginning, make all young guests aware of the dangers of fire and embers. Use child-friendly words. At the end there is a reward because everyone has paid so much attention. How about a children's plate with their own name on it, for example? This way, the barbecue at the children's birthday party is sure to be remembered for a long time.