Kids In The Kitchen: Merchandise Monday
Belive it or not, kitchen products gauged at children are gaining some serious traction.
Spawned by the First Lady's new front against child obesity and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, retailers, marketers and activists alike are all trying to get more kids involved in the kitchen. According to an article in Homeworld Business, Steve White (VP of Sales and marketing for Kuhn Rikon) states "We think that getting kids started in the kitchen will be a major improvement to the health of the younger generation."
What's driving this interest for kids in the kitchen?
In addition to the celebrity influence mentioned above, there has been a surge in the number of cooking classes aimed at kids along with more kid-targeted cookbooks. Along with this interest in cooking comes the surge in cooking tools designed for kids. Companies like Tailor Made introduced its Curious Chefs line at this last Housewares show, a whole line of kitchen gadgets devoted to children's cooking. Other companies like Sassafras also have their own lines of kids' gadgets, offering up to 35 different tools.
Handstand Kids owner Yvette Garfield is quoted in Homeworld Business: "This trend is continuing to grow. With the epidemic of childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes, more people are becoming aware of what they're putting into their mouths." The trend is also following suit with the rising trend of having fun at home, with kids and parents forgoing dining out and spending more time in the kitchen cooking together.