December 2018

Life Skill Goals

Our classes teach cooking and baking skills for all age levels, in addition to learning the importance of healthy eating.  Our goal is for your children to master the following: 

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Tiny Cooks:  Age 2-6

Life skill goals:  trying a variety of new foods, following directions, cleaning up setting the table, serving others

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• Carry things to and from the table

• Sort utensils

• Begin to scoop, blend and measure dry ingredients

• Pour milk/water

• Stir batter

• Roll dough

• Spread soft butter, nut butter, cheeses, spreads

• Help crack eggs

• Peel vegetables

• Cut soft fruits and vegetables with a dull knife

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Young Chefs:  1st - 5th Grade

Life skill goals:  gaining independence and confidence in the kitchen, learning basic knife skills, begining cooking and baking

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• Read directions

• Cut own food - potato, meat, etc. 

• Crack and separate eggs independently

• Work at the stovetop safely

• Brown ground meats

• Begin developing sharp knife skills - slice, chop, dice, core

• Crush garlic

• Flip pancakes

• Cook rice and pasta

• Cook eggs:  scrambled, fried

• Create salads and dressings from scratch

• Steam and Sauté vegetables

• Safely bake in the oven

• Use small electric appliances like a mixer or blender independently

• Make own lunch

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Tweens/Teens in the Kitchen:  4th - 10th Grade

Life skill goals:  achieving independence in the kitchen, working as a team with others, making a meal by themselves, budgeting, shopping, mastering real life skills for adulthood

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• Extended knife skills - julienne, cube, mince, chiffonade, butterfly

• Work with raw meat, poultry and fish

• Make a stir fry

• Plan and make a meal by themselves

• Master more complicated recipes with precision

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College Bound -  101:  11 - 12th Grade and above

(Private/Group classes are also offered for this class)

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Independent living can be challenging for a busy college student on a budget, so we’ve designed a class specific for their needs.  Students will learn kitchen fundamentals, knife skills, as well as quick snacks and healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Best of all, most recipes taught in this course, have no more than 5 ingredients, and can be made in 15 minutes or less.

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• Head off to college capable of preparing breakfast, lunch, dinner and quick snacks in a simple and healthy way.

• Learn cooking and nutritional values and how to think outside the “recipe” for substitutions and changes within

• Learn how to compose a balanced meal, with seasonal ingredients and discover the importance of being fully aware of what you put inside your body

• Includes printed take home recipes

 

In addition to learning an important life skill, there are plenty of other educational benefits derived from children learning how to cook.  Here are a few of the skills and learning abilities that children of all ages can develop:

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Sensory skills – Through tasting, hearing, touching, smelling and seeing, children will be exposed to and identify different foods.

Motor skills – Being actively involved with food will help large and fine motor skills. Also, food preparation enhances eye-hand coordination.

Language skills – Cooking provides a rich opportunity to learn the names of foods and utensils. Many food activities can also encourage conversations about food likes, dislikes and experiences children have had with food.

Mathematics – Kids will count, measure and follow directions while preparing recipes.

Social skills – Working with other children will give kids a sense of sharing and cooperation, in addition to understanding how to interact with others in groups, learning from one another.

Emotional development – As children learn to make something for themselves, they develop a sense of independence and a positive self-image.

Health and Safety – During food preparation, children will learn the importance of healthy eating, including safety of utensils and appliances. 

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