I will never allow ramen noodles in my house.

I know how that sounds. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and every toddler seems to love it. But I’ve taken care of so many kids burned by spilled ramen straight out of the microwave that I decided early: not in my house, not near my kids. Ramen requires microwaving liquid. There is no way to control the temperature, and children are notoriously clumsy. Too often, kids try to get it out of the microwave, tilt it, spill it down themselves, and end up with burns that need medical intervention to heal. Not worth it.

What I do instead

If we want noodles, I boil noodles on the stove, mix in whatever his favorite ingredients are, and make sure they are cool with no liquid before I give them to him. His favorite is buttered spaghetti noodles. Don’t ask me why. He’s a strange little human!

Safer habits for any hot food

Hot food always goes on the back of the counter. Microwaves always stay out of reach. Let food cool, or put it in the freezer for a minute, before it goes anywhere near a child’s level. And never, ever carry hot liquids while holding a toddler.

Nurse note: If your child is burned, run cool (never ice-cold) water over the area for 20 minutes and don’t put butter or ointments on it. Call your pediatrician or go to the ER for burns that are large, blistered, on the face, hands, or genitals, or on a baby. This is general information, not medical advice. See my medical disclaimer.