So What's The Big Deal? Why Can't I Just Eat!!

Hello everyone,

Eating right has always been a love of mine since I was about sixteen years old when a relative introduced me to a nutrition book.  From then on I became my families guru of nutrition.  It has been a roller coaster ride, but just like anything in life, consistency and persistence pays off.

Enough about me......I just want to share with you the marvelous work the youth did and the joy I had in helping them become more nutritionally aware.  It has been a blessing and a labor of love.

We started off 4 weeks into the program but quickly caught up and begin to start learning and cooking.  What fun......

This is my 8 week Curriculum....short notice but I believe we accomplished most of the goals that were set for the Culinary Enrichment Classes.

The goals were as follows:

• Nutrient for the day, week or month---we will build a menu around a nutrient or nutrients
• Chef for a day—you will be required to show us a recipe which will include a menu, ingredients, grocery list and recipe.
• Healthy snack information of the day—what makes a snack healthy
• Nutrition moment or fact----name the nutrient or explain a nutrition fact
• Show what you know—post or prê test assessments either through paper or a demonstration
• Reading food labels
• Table setting and proper etiquette
• Recipe book
• Meal preparation and tasting

Week 4 April 14, 2014
Goal:

• Introduce students to nutrition concepts

Skills:

• To understand the Food Pyramid
• To understand what a balanced meal consists of
• To understand vitamins

Key activities:

• Students read the pyramid from top to bottom and look over portion and serving sizes for meals
• Students discuss what a vitamin is and why they are important for the body

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To contribute to discussion

Supplies:

• Copies of Food Pyramid 

My program addressed the area of Interaction in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to interact through discussion and life examples.

Week 5 April 21, 2014
Goal:

• Cooking session

Skills:

• Choosing healthy greens through making a salad

Key activities:

• Making a greek chicken salad
• Learning to chop and dice vegetables
• Learning to saute meat
• Adding proper nutrients to salads

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To contribute to making the salad and cooking the meat

Supplies:

• Arugula leaves, diced chicken breast, tomatoes, feta cheese, green peppers, green onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc.

My program addressed the area of Engagement in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to work in groups making parts of the salad for a cohesive whole.

Week 6 April 28, 2014
Goal:

• Teach youth sanitary issues and concerns in the kitchen
• Teach youth how to correctly use knives for cutting and cutting boards

Skills:

• Cutting food properly
• Using a cutting board
• Cleanliness in the kitchen

Key activities:

• Students watched a knife cutting demonstration and practice using and cutting with knives and cutting boards
• Students had discussion about cleaning methods and ways to remain sanitary in the kitchen

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To take ownership of learning to properly cut and use a cutting board

Supplies:

• Cutting boards, kitchen knives

My program addressed the area of Safe Environment in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to learn the correct procedures for cutting with knives, using a cutting board and explanation on kitchen cleanliness and sanitation concerns.

Week 7 May 5, 2014
Goal:

• Cooking Session

Skills:

• To understand how to create a balanced meal and to reuse foods
• To learn how to cook a quick but nutritious meal
• To practice cutting and chopping skills

Key activities:

• Students made chicken soup

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• Chef Leadership (Chef for the day)

Supplies:

• Foods needed to cook chicken soup (see recipe)

My program addressed the area of Engagement in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to cook the soup from scratch and cutting and chopping vegetables as well as sauteing meat.

Week 8 May 12, 2014
Goal:

• Cooking Session

Skills:

• To be able to create a quick, nutritional but easy breakfast meal
• To understand what a balanced meal consists of

Key activities:

• Students cooked and baked apple, peach muffins

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To contribute to cooking

Supplies:

• Items needed to create muffins (see recipe)

My program addressed the area of Engagement in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to work in groups making muffins.

Week 9 May 19, 2014
Goal:

• Scavenger Hunt/Utensils Riddles

Skills:

• To be able to know their way around the kitchen and what utensils are available and where they are located

Key activities:

• Students did a scavenger hunt in groups, in a timed competition
• Students worked in groups to complete riddles on utensils

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• Working collaboratively

Supplies:

• Copies 

My program addressed the area of Youth Voice and Governance and Supportive Environment in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to work in groups and working on a timed project.

Week 10 May 26, 2014
Goal:

• Cooking Session

Skills:

• To choose low-fat meats and learn how to season food with herbs and spices
• To make a healthy version of a traditional snack

Key activities:

• Students cooked turkey nachos

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To contribute to cooking

Supplies:

• Items needed to nachos (see recipe)

My program addressed the area of Engagement in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to work in groups making nachos.

Week 11 June 2, 2014
Goal:

• Cooking Session/Making Smoothies

Skills:

• To be able to create a quick, nutritional but easy breakfast meal
• To understand how smoothies can be nutritional

Key activities:

• Students used the blender and chopped and cut up fruits as well as measured ingredients needed for the smoothie

Opportunities for youth leadership:

• To contribute to cooking

Supplies:

• Items needed to make smoothies (see recipe)

My program addressed the area of Student Engagement and Youth Voice and Governance in Program Quality.  This was done by allowing students to work in groups and using the fruit after the first smoothie to create their own version.

I have a Pinterest Board of healthy recipes, drinks, snacks and desserts.  Click on the links and look around and Enjoy using the boards to create your own version of healthy meals.  Bon Appe'tit

Healthy Recipes

Healthy Snacks

Healthy Drinks

Healthy Desserts