Willow
This cooking (snack preparation) and nutrition education program introduces young children to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors through the lovable bunny puppet character -- Willow. This gentle bunny loves her fruits and veggies, and is never as happy as when she can engage the children she meets to learn all about them.
look who's cooking
A ground-breaking elementary culinary and nutrition program. Students learn how to lead a healthier lifestyle by experiencing how families in diverse cultures approach food and cooking using fresh ingredients.
Programs offered by FamilyCook Productions:
From Cookingmatters.org:
"For 20 years, Cooking Matters has empowered families with the skills to stretch their food budgets and cook healthy meals so their children get nutritious food at home.
As part of the No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in America, Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters teaches participants to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices and cook delicious, affordable meals. Founded in 1993, Cooking Matters and thousands of volunteer instructors have helped more than 120,000 low-income families in communities across the country learn how to eat better for less."
Learn more here.
Food Studies Institute:
FROM foodstudies.org:
"The Food Studies Institute (FSI) is devoted to changing the health destinies of children through proper nutrition and education. This has been the life-long work of Dr. Antonia Demas whose groundbreaking curriculum, Food is Elementary©, educates children about nutrition by providing a positive experience of food and food preparation that is fun, hands-on and sensory-based.
The work of the Food Studies Institute enables a transition to life-long healthy eating in three key ways:
Through the introduction of Dr. Demas' dynamic curriculum Food is Elementary© into schools and communities
By revolutionizing and improving the school lunch program
By promoting community outreach and helping parents support their children's healthy food choices"
Learn more here
cooking time is family time
This program is a family strengthening tool where food is the ‘glue’ that bonds the family together over a common purpose of preparing a nurturing meal. Because the cooking is collaborative, this program uses our “FamilyCook Mantra”: 1) Don’t worry about the mess; 2) Don’t worry about how long it will take to cook; 3) Enjoy the process and don’t focus on the result.
resources
hands-on nutrition education programs
These programs are teaching children and families valuable culinary and leadership skills that build healthy eating habits. Click on the links to find out how to bring these programs to your community!
cooking with kids:
FROM Cookingwithkids.net:
"In Santa Fe, New Mexico, Cooking with Kids works with over 4,900 pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students in Santa Fe Public Schools where 50% or more students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.
Cooking with Kids offers two types of classes and supports healthy and delicious cafeteria meals. Throughout the school year, children prepare and taste a variety of fresh, affordable foods and learn about making healthy choices."
Learn more here
teen battle chef
Empowers youth to challenge themselves on a skills level while practicing being part of team effort. Young people develop leadership, teamwork, and culinary skills while gaining nutrition knowledge and a new appreciation for diverse, healthy and sustainably-produced food. Most importantly, Teen Battle Chef students become agents of change, sharing their new cooking skills and excitement for healthy eating with their friends and family one recipe at a time!
Nutrition educators
Does your organization offer hands-on nutrition education programs? Share your program with us here.