Students are heading back to the kitchen this spring to take a fresh approach to healthy eating through the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation’s Kids Cooking Local (KCL) culinary education program in partnership with After-School All-Stars (ASAS) and Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii (BGCH).
With support from The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and C&S Wholesale Grocers, KCL will engage with students at seven after-school sites on Oahu:
- Hale Pono BGCH
- ASAS Jarrett Middle School
- ASAS King Intermediate School
- Nanakuli NFL-YET BGCH
- ASAS Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani Middle School
- Spalding House BGCH
- ASAS Waianae Intermediate School
The 10-week program engages students by teaching them about where food comes from, learning basic cooking skills from local chefs, and how to prepare nutritious, tasty snacks and meals using fresh products from local farmers and purveyors, affordable staples, including shelf-stable items that are local favorites.
Each week students will be provided with a bag of nutritious ingredients used in recipes they learned, which they can then take home to encourage cooking and healthier eating with their entire families.
Kids Cooking Local has provided Oahu keiki with basic cooking skills and supported the local agricultural industry since 2017. It targets middle school students at a critical stage for the onset of obesity and development of life-long nutrition habits.
