Kids Get Cooking

Kids in the Kitchen is an after-school hands-in cooking and nutrition education program. The program is designed to provide children aged 6-12 (grades 1-7) with opportunities to learn practical and affordable strategies that foster lifelong healthy eating and cooking habits.

Some of the topics covered in the program include:

  • healthy eating lesson plans and activities that include Canada's food guide to healthy eating
  • food-safety
  • food preparation basics (food prep, measuring, knife-handling, baking, frying, boiling etc.)
  • 'cheap and easy cooking from scratch' that includes recipes to take home
  • growing and sharing food

The program offers children a unique and fun experience as they learn about nutritious low-cost foods and kitchen safety and prepare a variety of nourishing snacks and meals. Up to ten children per session work under the supervision of an adult facilitator and student assistant. Each class has a theme and includes planning, preparation, cooking and baking in a safe and fun environment. After preparing the food, they eat what they've prepared and take the recipes home.

In addition to increasing food and self-sufficiency skills, children can utilize the program as a means to receive additional and adequate nourishment for their growing minds and bodies.

KITCHEN PARTY

Since Semptember 2005 Kids in the Kitchen has gotten hundreds of Nanaimo kids cooking while teaching them about healthy food choices. The program runs at local schools and the Snuneymuxw Band Youth Centre.

Group cooking gives children practice in sharing and co-operation and the satisfaction of making something as a "team." Each child can take a turn stirring, for example, while everyone counts six stirs to make it equal.

By strengthening children's ability to increase their knowledge of cooking and nutrition, Kids in the Kitchen positively influences the family as a whole - whether it's through shared knowledge and enthusiasm about food and cooking, or by kids proudly sharing what they've made with their loved ones.

Participants learn

  • hands-on cooking skills including food prep, food safety, measuring, mixing, baking, boiling, frying etc.
  • good nutrition basics including Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
  • How to make a total of 15 simple low-cost recipes that they can take home.
Contact Information:
Stacy Bestard
Phone: 250-753-9393