Engaging the community beyond your classroom is a great way to amplify the effects of your cooking programs and generate more excitement for developing healthy habits. Ideas for such engagement include:
Take-home materials for students involved in your classroom cooking programs (e.g., recipes, cooking tips, food waste reduction challenges)
Food-focused school-wide events, e.g., multicultural potlucks, assemblies or announcements related to food or health
Cafeteria-linked activities, e.g, taste tests involving healthy school meal options, a cafeteria tour, a meet-your-cafeteria-staff campaign, or have the cafeteria staff as a "guest chef" (contact your cafeteria staff to partner on this!)
School-wide food waste challenge, including a waste measurement, tips, and/or at-home challenge using resources offered by World Wildlife Fund, Purdue University, Love Food Haste Waste - New Zealand
Family resources and/or events to help build healthy habits at home, e.g., virtual cooking demos after school with local chefs
You may also consider soliciting support from local restaurants or chefs to promote challenges, provide prizes, or offer recipes and cooking demos, etc.
If you need any assistance on these, the Farm to School staff is willing to help! Contact us at farms@bcps.k12.md.us
TasteWise Kids is a nonprofit organization in Baltimore dedicated to teaching kids about food and inspiring healthy choices. They have a plethora of information including TWKatHome, which includes activities that can be conducted at home or in the classroom. Their Family Friday series has tips and stories and suggestions of activities to get kids excited about food and cooking at home. Some of these can apply in the classroom as well! They also have community programs including Chef Story Time and Ask an Expert to help get kids excited about food in a variety of settings. *(PRINT READY RESOURCE)*
City Blossoms is a nonprofit organization in DC working to connect kids to their environment and green spaces. They have a list of books including classroom books (or books that can be great for families at home) focused on gardening, food and culture and other topics as well as educator resources. *To note: they have a selection of books in Spanish and English.
University of Maryland Extension’s Eat Smart site helps families make healthier choices regarding food and physical activity. There are recipes, ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables, how to cook different food items in multiple ways, and more! *(PRINT READY RESOURCE)*
Consider school- or home-based food waste challenges using resources offered by World Wildlife Fund, Purdue University, Love Food Haste Waste - New Zealand
Raddish's blog Bonus Bites has many free, engaging resources that can include the whole family including recipes, a cooking playlist, lesson plans about world fusion and more. *(PRINT READY RESOURCE)*