Whole Health Kids

Grantee: Edible Education Experience, Inc.

Year Funded: 2023

Amount: $50,000.00

Report Status: Report not posted

Related Content: none

Project Summary: Whole Health Kids invites low-income students in Central Florida to experience the natural cycle of food from seed to table, with the goal of deepening their understanding of food systems and increasing their motivation to eat healthy whole foods. Reflecting our goal to encourage examination of multifaceted systems, a field trip to EEE involves a well-rounded exploration of the people, histories, natural processes, and scientific principles involved in the food journey. In this field trip series, students explore the natural and sustainable systems of the Culinary Garden, and harvest organic ingredients for a plant-based lunch. Then, they take part in an interactive demonstration of a recipe or cooking technique aligned with the curriculum topic, led by experienced educators and chefs. Finally, we synthesize what we’ve learned in our teaching kitchen, where students collaborate to cook scratch-made dishes and practice the hard and soft skills involved in the kitchen. Lunchtime features a reflection of the field trip's impact on students. Critical thinking, confidence, and collaboration are the touchstones we return to to examine whether the experiences we give children will have lasting impacts. Student success stories often tell us of children who are cooking at home and trying new foods. These students are becoming more autonomous in their own relationship with food, as well as influencing healthy and socially fulfilling eating habits in their families and communities.