KIDZ Culinary Academy: Eating for Healthy Kids

Kidz Culinary Academy: Eating for Healthy Kids (KCA) classes are great fun, wherein activities, information and hands-on cooking are woven together. Every class will have the hands-on component of making a recipe and learning about the health benefits of the ingredients in each dish. Mindful cooking is an art and a science. It trains children how to measure, how to pay attention to what they are making, and taste as they go. It is not surprising that children take great pride in their accomplishments. It’s wonderful to watch kids excited about cooking and eating “the other fast foods” — like bananas, almonds, and peas — as they build their “nutrition bank accounts” for life. Children want to be healthy, smart and skillful. KCA provides active, fun and age-appropriate cooking and nutrition education. The seasonal, fresh, organic foods used in our classes are delicious, fun to cook and eat, and give children a healthy edge in life.

Justification

The current pandemic has opened a Pandora’s Box of risk and opportunity. Our youth and our community worldwide have been pivoting from learning in schools to learning virtually online. Families are realizing that an essential way to keep children healthy and safe is for them to learn how to experience the joy of cooking and eating real food to support health and robust immunity. 

The KIDZ Culinary Academy will educate our youth about age appropriate basics of nutrition, learning to cook healthy snacks, main meals, refreshing beverages, and dazzling desserts. Parents are encouraged to have their children accompany them to the store to shop for fresh, healthy food. During the pandemic with more adults and children at home, starting a backyard or patio garden is a great way for kids to tend to the plants that when fully mature, they will toss into a salad, or add to a soup or wrap. Kids love to sample different ingredients, and identify whether they taste sweet, salty, sour, or spicy. Blending flavors, textures and taste is an art form for young chefs to experiment within their kitchen laboratory. They even learn to clean up after themselves, which makes parents proud and happy. Cooking together brings a family together.                                                                                                                           

“There is no better time to instill healthy eating habits and a love of cooking than during a kid’s childhood and pre-adolescent years.” — Dr. Ed Bauman

Home cooking builds self-esteem, confidence and self-efficacy. Children are concrete learners. They love nutrition facts, cooking tips, and finding out how a muffin is made, or how to make their own sparkling juice sweetened beverages. Once they hear that white sugar or artificial sweeteners are unhealthy, they start label reading and back off eating as much processed prepared foods. Children who experience new ways of eating and cooking in a positive environment change what they eat and crave.

We ask parents to attend to younger children or those who need supervision to stay safe and focused. We love to hear how their children are practicing their cooking skills and sharing nutrition information at home and with friends. Cooking from scratch has a profound impact on the entire family. As children get excited and share with pride their accomplishments, other families and children will be inspired to learn how to help their kids swap out junk food and packaged snacks for yummy, homemade meals and treats. 

Learning Objectives

  • Know the USDA My Plate™ 5 Food Groups

  • Know three similarities and three differences between My Plate™ and Eating for Health™.

  • Learn age appropriate food and nutrition information.

  • Gain skills to prepare and cook healthy food.

  • Learn basic culinary vocabulary.

  • Practice kitchen safety.

  • Associate the colors of foods with vitamins and minerals.

  • Learn about hydration and age specific daily water requirements.

  • Learn the difference between a serving and a portion.

  • Learn how to prepare foods they enjoy for main meals, snacks and dessert.

  • Connect eating well with nourishing their body, mind and emotions.

  • Gain new skills to build their self-confidence and family unity.

Program Structure

A Kidz Culinary Cookbook, syllabus of learning materials, recipes and worksheets, and a KCA chef kit, with a plastic knife set and apron, will be provided.

There are three KCA levels, each with four one and a half hour teacher led interactive lessons. Programs will be adjusted to fit two age groups: children (ages 6-11) and youth (ages 12-18). For the youth, a teacher led movement activity of yoga or tai chi can be done in lieu of drawing and food art projects.

Curriculum

LEVEL ONE:  Eating for Health™

Lesson 1 — Food Models

Lesson 2 — Food Groups

Lesson 3 — Snacks and Drinks

Lesson 4 — Sweets and Treats

LEVEL TWO: Whole Meal Magic

Lesson 1 — Food/Mood Connection 

Lesson 2 — Breakfast of Champions

Lesson 3 — Allergy Free Lunches

Lesson 4 — Dinner Delights

LEVEL THREE: Rainbow Power Foods

Lesson 1 — Sensational Strawberries

Lesson 2 — Cool Carrots

Lesson 3 — Smart Seeds

Lesson 4 — Awesome Avocados

LEVEL ONE: Eating for Health™

Lesson 1.1: Food Models

  1. KCA Rules: Safety, attention, respect

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Food Models: USDA MyPlate™ and Eating for Health™ 

  3. Nutrition Activity: Color an Eating for Health™ Chart

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Crunchy Tuna Salad

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 1.2: Food Groups

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Food Groups

  3. Nutrition Activity: Color a Healthy Plate

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Taco Variations

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 1.3: Snacks and Drinks

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Nutrition Heroes and Bandits

  3. Nutrition Activity: Shopping Grab Bag: Identifying Heroes and Bandits

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Energy Bites  

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, recipe feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 1.4: Sweets and Treats  

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson:  Names and Properties of Natural and Artificial Sweeteners

  3. Nutrition Activity: Sweets Grab Bag: Identifying Sweeteners

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention and feedback

  6. Review and homework: Learn, practice, share

LEVEL TWO: Whole Meal Magic

Lesson 2.1: Food/Mood Connection

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Food/Mood Connection

  3. Nutrition Activity: Grab bag of drinks, snacks and treats

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Brain Boostin’, Power Rockin’ Smoothie

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 2.2: Breakfast of Champions

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Importance of Breakfast

  3. Nutrition Activity: Create a Breakfast Food Collage

  4. Cooking Demonstration: American (eggs) and Asian (soup) breakfast

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 2.3: Allergy Free Lunches

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Hot and Cold Lunch Options  

  3. Nutrition Activity: Grab bag of drinks, snacks and treats

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Veggie Sushi Roll

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 2.4: Dinner Delights 

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Main Meal Plate  

  3. Nutrition Activity: Using a Cookbook  

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Udon Noodle Bowl with Mixed Vegetables

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

LEVEL THREE: Rainbow Power Foods

Lesson 3.1: Sensational Strawberries

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Health Benefits of Strawberries

  3. Nutrition Activity: Strawberry Art Projects

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Fruit and Cheese Kebabs with Strawberry Yogurt Dipping   

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 3.2: Cool Carrots

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: Importance of Breakfast

  3. Nutrition Activity: How To Make Party Carrots

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Carrot Slaw  

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 3.3:  Smart Seeds

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: What Makes Seeds So Smart

  3. Nutrition Activity: How To Make Seed Pictures  

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Caprese Salad on a Stick with Flax Vinaigrette

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share

Lesson 3.4: Awesome Avocados

  1. Check In: Home Cooking Experiments (5 min.)

  2. Nutrition Lesson: The Skinny on Fats

  3. Nutrition Activity: How To Make a Mr. or Mrs. Avocado Head  

  4. Cooking Demonstration: Homemade Corn Tortillas and Guacamole

  5. Eating Experience: Gratitude, attention, feedback

  6. Review and Homework: Learn, practice, share