FoodPrints Family Engagement: Cooking, Connecting, and Learning Together
This school year, the FoodPrints program has continued to bring families together both at our partner schools and in the broader community through cooking workshops where participants prepare and share meals side by side.
A space for parents and kids to cook together
Just like our school day programming, FoodPrints family cooking workshops are interactive, skill-building, and full of joy. These workshops create a space for parents and kids to cook together in ways that are replicable at home, help them discover simple and delicious ways to prepare vegetables, and foster a new openness to trying new foods and sharing their excitement about them.
We’ve hosted family cooking workshops at several schools, as well as for Children’s National Hospital’s Family Lifestyle Food is Medicine program.
Enthusiasm for learning new recipes
During our early spring workshop at Amidon Bowen, families prepared Goman Wat, Collard Greens & Browned Onions, and Sweet Potato Biscuits. The majority of participants reported that they “liked” or “loved” all of the recipes. One parent shared, “I am 100% going to make Goman Wat and Sweet Potato Biscuits at home,” while another reflected that the workshop inspired her to “let go of my need to control everything and let kiddos help cook more.” Many families expressed enthusiasm for learning new recipes and a desire for more opportunities like this.
At Truesdell Elementary in February, families cooked Kale & White Bean Stew alongside a Wild Rice Salad with Apples and Dried Cranberries, with the majority of participants again reporting that they “liked” or “loved” the dishes.
One parent noted that they learned that “you can cook a wholesome meal without too much time.” Another parent shared that she discovered a new favorite combination: apples and rice.
During a workshop at John Francis Education Campus in early April, a grandmother could not believe that the families received a bag of produce to take home at the end of the workshop, saying, “We get to take home a bag of ingredients and the recipes? This is the best day ever!”
Through our partnership with the FlipRx program, families have also enjoyed preparing recipes like Kale & White Bean Stew and Jollof Rice. At these workshops, families have commented on how much they appreciate the opportunity to build practical kitchen skills, like destemming kale leaves and chopping onions more efficiently.
Long-Term Change
Our Family Cooking Workshops build four important qualities for long-term change in families’ approach to cooking and eating:
- Knowledge: Families gain new cooking skills, learn recipes they are excited to try at home, and taste new foods and flavors together.
- Empowerment: Parents build confidence in their ability to cook simple, nutritious meals and feel more excited to include their kids in cooking at home.
- Community: Families are interested in ways to connect with others in their school communities, and cooking workshops offer a unique and fun opportunity to cook and chat together.
Access: Every family leaves our workshops with fresh produce, recipes, and information about how to shop at FRESHFARM farm stands and markets and use available benefits.
Families value these opportunities to learn and cook together, and these experiences stay with students into adulthood. As one FoodPrints alumni student shared, “I think that because we started doing FoodPrints at such a young age… it’s kind of been ingrained into me, like the type of foods that you want to be and should be eating, foods that are good for you and having a well-balanced plate.”
Our family workshops help carry this collaborative and communal learning home.
