The Junior League of Stark County, Ohio, Inc. (JLSC) spent November 2019 partnering with The First Tee of Canton for our 2nd Kids in the Kitchen program. The main focus of the Kids in the Kitchen program is to teach students how to make healthier food choices and learn basic kitchen skills. On Saturdays in November, we had approximately 10 students participate in the program, three of which were returning students from our program this past spring.
During each session, the students formed small groups and visited a cooking station, a nutritional learning station, and an activity station. After the session, each kid was sent home with a bag of ingredients to share what they learned with their family. The first week, we had a special guest chef, Chef/Owner of the Angry Avocado restaurant, Matt Fischer. Chef Matt taught the students proper knife skills and assisted with making a rainbow pasta salad.
During the first class students were given a plain white apron that they decorated, used throughout the program and then took home at the end of the four weeks. While decorating their aprons, they learned about My Plate and were given a handout to take home and share with their family.
During week two, the students learned a fun and easy way to make an omelet in a Ziploc bag. The nutrition lesson for week two was on reading nutrition labels. Each kid reviewed different nutation labels and decided which the best option was. Also during week two, the students decorated paper bags for Compassion Delivered.
Week three’s lesson focused on food safety/sanitation and “Go, Slow and Whoa” foods. The recipe for week three was baked chicken strips breaded with Cornflakes. With Thanksgiving around the corner, each student made a gratitude jar to take home. We asked each student to write on a slip of paper what they were grateful and thankful for and add to their jar.
The final week’s nutrition lesson focused on “Green, Yellow and Red” foods. The recipe for week four was cupcake sized chicken pot pies. The students helped assemble 125 treat bags for Faith Kitchen’s holiday service with donated candy. The First Tee of Canton provided each student with a cookbook to take home with them at the end of the program.
This year we are doing a virtual Kids in the Kitchen program. Check out our virtual recipes HERE.
