Kids (and Teens!) In the Kitchen
Kids (and Teens!) In the Kitchen
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Published in our December 2024 newsletter
Cooking clubs are a programming favorite at EAT RIGHT PHILLY! These sessions teach nutrition with a focus on teamwork, hands-on learning, and everyday kitchen skills. Nutrition Coordinators work with students to prepare recipes, giving everyone a chance to help prep, cook, and season their way to a delicious and healthy dish they get to enjoy at the end of each session. Cooking clubs are also flexible in recipe choice, encompassing everything from cultural meals from around the world to healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Project Coordinator Avery has been doing regular cooking clubs at Kensington Health Sciences Academy for several school years. She arrived to a recent Cooking Club session on Halloween and was greeted by a full classroom of eager high school students, many in costume!
Students were ready to cook the recipe of the day, sesame chicken. This balanced meal teaches students about combining different MyPlate groups: vegetables (bell peppers and peas), lean protein (grilled chicken), and whole grains (steamed brown rice).
The students took turns chopping bell peppers and slicing green onions while Avery modeled safe knife skills. Students who were new to the kitchen were able to start out with plastic safety knives while learning knife skills, ensuring that the learning environment was safe and comfortable for everyone.
Once the ingredients were chopped, the teens tried sautéing, adding in frozen peas to learn about boosting vegetable intake with cost-effective frozen veggies. While everything was cooking, Avery walked the group through making their own stir-fry sauce using low-sodium soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a little bit of brown sugar. Many students were surprised at how easy it was to make a tasty sauce, especially one much lower in added sodium and sugar than a store-bought version!
After adding the sauce and the brown rice, the stir fry was ready to serve. The students worked together to plate the dish, topping each tasting with a sprinkle of sesame seeds to boost flavor. Everyone enjoyed the recipe! To close out the session, Avery passed out copies of the recipe so that the group could make the meal at home with their families. She also asked the group what they would like to cook in future sessions, with pasta being a popular suggestion.
A less obvious benefit of cooking club sessions is that, while EAT RIGHT PHILLY staff typically lead the group, students learn a lot from each other as well. While working on the recipe, one student mentioned that she liked to cook at home and became a role model for other students who hadn’t yet encountered some of the cooking techniques covered. The students also encouraged each other to jump in; once one had taken a turn chopping, they typically wanted their friends to join the cooking too.
If you are interested in cooking club sessions at your school, reach out to your Nutrition Coordinator! Whether you already have a cooking club or if you’re interested in starting one, EAT RIGHT PHILLY can help you customize lessons for your students’ ages, interests, and skills.
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