Nutrition Education

Cooking Matters
kidsCAN

Cooking Matters

Foodlink is pleased to partner with Share our Strength to offer Cooking Matters™ classes to individuals and families in our network. The nutrition education program empowers families at risk of hunger with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to make healthy and affordable meals. Volunteer culinary and nutrition experts work with class participants to select nutritious and low-cost ingredients and prepare them in ways that provide the best nourishment possible to their families. Cooking Matters is nationally supported by the ConAgra Foods Foundation and generously supported by the Walmart Foundation.

Since 1993, Cooking Matters (formerly Share our Strength’s Operation Frontline) has grown to serve more than 11,000 families each year across the country, helping them learn how to eat better on a budget. Today, 85 percent of Cooking Matters participants graduate, taking with them improved nutrition practices, eating habits, and food budgeting skills.

Cooking Matters classes:

• Cooking Matters for Adults is a six week program designed to teach low-income adults with children about meal preparation and sensible shopping on a limited budget. Each participant takes home the ingredients needed to duplicate each recipe. This class is also offered in Spanish, and there is an optional supplement that addresses Diabetes. 
• Cooking Matters for Kids is a six week program for children ages 8 to 12. Children learn the basics of nutrition, cooking, and healthy eating through making tasty, healthy, low-cost meals and snacks.
• Cooking Matters for Families teaches school-age children (ages 6 to 12) and their parents about healthy eating as a family and the importance of working together to plan and prepare healthy meals on a budget.
• Cooking Matters for Teens teaches teens how to make healthy food choices, meals and snacks for themselves, their families and friends.
• Cooking Matters for Young Parents teaches teen parents how to make healthy food choices and prepare nutritious foods for themselves and their children.
• Cooking Matters for Child Care Professionals teaches child care professionals about healthy meal preparation and creating a healthy food environment for the kids in their care.

Volunteer for Cooking Matters! Our volunteers provide expertise and guidance during Cooking Matters classes. There are a variety of opportunities to share your skills and assist in providing nutrition education to adults, children and families in our community.

• Chef Instructors provide leadership for course curriculum. Volunteers need to have background in the culinary arts and/or restaurant experience.
• Nutrition Educators help facilitate and guide the group. Registered dietitians, those with a nutrition or food science background, and dietetic interns are encouraged to apply.
• Class Assistants provide support and organizational assistance throughout the 6 week course.
• Class Shoppers obtain and prepare food for the classes.
• Interpreters and Translators are a key source of connection between the course instructors and participants who are non-English speaking and/or from the deaf community.
• Photo/Video Journalist will attend 2-3 Cooking Matters classes and produce high quality images and/or a video segment for marketing use

If you are interested in any of the volunteer opportunities listed above please download and submit a volunteer application to Foodlink.

If you are interested in hosing a class series please download and submit a host site application to Foodlink.

Learn more about becoming a host site, volunteer opportunities, or signing up for classes by contacting Heather Tyler at htyler@foodlinkny.org or
(585) 328-3380 ext. 123

For more information about Share Our Strength's National Program visit: www.cookingmatters.org

kidsCAN (Cooking, Activity and Nutrition)

This is the second year of Foodlink’s child nutrition education program, KidsCAN (Cooking, Activity and Nutrition). Foodlink partners with schools and summer programs to provide nutrition education to Rochester children. The KidsCAN program encourages children’s enthusiasm for food and empowers healthy food choices.
Kids love the KidsCAN program because they can learn about food through sight, smell and touch.  A Foodlink nutritionist provides opportunities for hands-on exploration of food through nutrition games and cooking. Lessons focus on food variety, how food is grown, foods at home, and the food environment. Each lesson includes a nutrition lesson, nutrition games and physical activity, and a kid-friendly recipe cooked as a group.

This summer’s lessons include:
-Eat Your Colors!
-Where does our food come from?
-Reading Food Labels and Making Healthy Choices

If you are interested in having KidsCAN visit your program, or in volunteering with kidsCAN, please contact Larkin Kimmerer, at lkimmerer@foodlinkny.org or (585) 328-3380 ext. 154.

For me details on volunteering with the kidsCAN program visit our volunteer page.