Healthy Cooking Together: Virtual Family Cooking Program
Many families struggle to feed their children a healthy diet, whether they deal with picky eating or lack the time, tools, or knowledge necessary to prepare home-cooked meals. These barriers are only amplified for families who face food insecurity and struggle to access healthy options. Little Chefs, Big Change, believes everyone deserves access to healthy foods and recognizes that even incremental changes towards a healthy diet can positively impact physical and mental health. They acknowledge the importance of exposing children to various foods, which can help prevent pickiness and promote a lifetime of healthy eating. Little Chefs teaches after-school healthy cooking classes to 2nd-8th grade children from disenfranchised communities in Knoxville. They will assess the feasibility and benefits of extending the cooking program outside the classroom and allow them to assemble the necessary resources. The virtual program will utilize a child’s interest in cooking to jumpstart their family’s journey toward cooking and eating healthy meals together. Families will gain the resources, nutritional knowledge, and cooking skills necessary to access and utilize affordable, wholesome ingredients, all while spending quality family time with one another in the kitchen.