Living a self-sustaining lifestyle often starts with learning the essential skill of cooking: how to nourish ourselves and others. This is especially true for kids, learning life skills early. There is also pride in ownership—being able to create something wonderful in the kitchen and enjoy it in peaceful solitude or around a table with family and friends—there is something special about being in the kitchen cooking up a storm and then sharing it with others. Most of us can remember the batch of cookies or the first meal we helped an adult prepare. The pride. The ownership. The feeling of, “I certainly must be an adult now, now that I can lend a hand in the kitchen making something that feeds myself or others.”
This summer we celebrate the joy of being in the kitchen, and we’re taking the kids with us on this culinary adventure. We visit local high schools with Career and Technical Education curricula that include operating on-site restaurants, many of which are open to the public. We also learn about the Grow Education programs spearheaded by the Marion Institute that are teaching kids how to build and grow a school garden, bringing produce back to the classroom. Teaching kids how to cook with a Holly Hill Farm educator and how to jazz up an ordinary PB&J are also featured.
Knowing where to buy “local” is huge, and we share a comprehensive list of Farmers’ Markets so you can bring that food back into the kitchen to prepare a festive feast or a tiny tea. And equally important, we learn how to differentiate locally grown versus mass-produced products, including produce and chicken. Understanding local food sources and our connection to them teaches kids an important lesson in sustainability.
Cooking with kids teaches them skills that will carry them through life. The lessons extend from the kitchen to families, farms, schools, and communities. Knowing that young people are discovering confidence, creativity, and pride from being part of a culinary adventure gives us hope that these lessons in sustainability are being passed on to the next generation and beyond.
Eat Thoughtfully,
-EDITOR
-PUBLISHER
-PUBLISHER/ART DIRECTOR
