Adventures in Cooking

Advertise Your Program

Here is a sample poster and registration form that you can adapt for your program.

Equipment and Ingredients

You will need basic kitchen supplies such as:

• liquid and dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• mixing bowls
• pots and pans*
• cutting boards
• knives or kid cutters
• serving spoons
• dishcloths
• tea towels
• paper towels
• dish soap
• hairnets or hair elastics

*Some recipes require a large heavy bottomed pot to prevent burning. Each recipe outlines the equipment you will need.

For each participant, you will need:

• an apron
• a nametag
• a place setting

We suggest a ratio of five children for each leader. As such, most recipes serve six people, so if you have a larger group, adjust your recipes accordingly.

The program’s recipe collection uses common kitchen equipment. You can find the full list in the Helpful Extras. Each recipe also lists what equipment is needed and suggests options if more than one piece of equipment can be used to perform a task.

The selected ingredients for the recipe collection are ones you can find in grocery stores. Please remember you might have to substitute ingredients sometimes.

Every store has a different selection. In the Helpful Extras, you can find an ingredient substitution list that can help guide you. You can also utilize other tools like the internet to find substitution ideas.

Foods from the land, water and sky

In Northern Ontario, the use of wild caught, foraged, and hunted foods play an important role in the culture of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Throughout this program’s recipe collection, there are opportunities to include these foods.
For example:

• Moose, venison or bison instead of beef
• Partridge or grouse instead of chicken
• Lake trout instead of salmon
• Dandelion greens instead of lettuce
• Haskap or Saskatoon berries instead of blueberries

It is important to cook any meat to the appropriate internal temperature including wild game; see temperature chart in the Helpful Extras.

Setting Up

Make copies of the recipes for children to take home. Consider putting them in a folder or binder for each participant.

• Plan to be in the kitchen at least 30 minutes before the children arrive. It’s important to have the room set up ahead of time so your session runs smoothly.
• Wash, rinse and sanitize all cooking surfaces, sinks, and counters before cooking. You can sanitize with:

Bleach and water at a concentration of 100 ppm; 

Mix 1 tsp (5 mL) plain household bleach and 3 cups of water in a spray bottle

Quaternary ammonia “Quat” sanitizer solutions at a concentration of 200 ppm; or

Other sanitization products may be considered. Please consult with your local public health unit before use.

• Use sanitizer test strips to check the concentration of the sanitizer solution. Do not mix detergent with sanitizing solutions as cleaning and sanitizing are two separate steps.
• If space allows, set up one table with all the equipment needed for the day’s lesson and another one with the ingredients.
• Ensure there is one table to work at for each group of 2–5 children.
• Lay out copies of the recipes. Consider using plastic page protectors for easy clean up and to save on paper and copying costs.
• Consider preparing a snack that kids can eat when they arrive.
• As children come into the kitchen, make sure hair is confined (e.g., long hair is tied back, hairnets are put on) before they wash their hands.

Learning by Doing

The sessions are designed for kids to work together to make each recipe. This way, everyone gets a chance to do everything from cutting to measuring to cooking.

Many children do not know the names of simple cooking tools and preparation terms. These sessions are a great way to learn cooking terms and practice using different kitchen equipment. See the list of cooking terms and their meanings as well as a visual equipment list in the Helpful Extras. 

Give participants more independence as they go through the sessions so they can gradually improve their skills, while you remain present to supervise and help out where needed. 

At the end of your session(s), give each participant a certificate to congratulate them on their hard work and skill development. You can find the certificate in the Helpful Extras.

Key Messages and Tips

Each recipe section has key messages that can be used as time allows. These messages can be discussed during snack, embedded throughout recipe preparation, or talked about while the group eats together.

Each recipe includes cultural, culinary and other tips that can be used as teaching moments during recipe preparation. These are also meant to guide kids when they recreate the recipes at home.

Learning by Playing

Cooking is a fun activity. Make it even more fun by including other activities during your session. Here is a list of the program’s Activities and what recipe(s) we suggest doing them based on relevance and time.

• The Balloon and Yeast Experiment
  • Pizza Party
• Draw Your Favourite Meal
  • Grab n’ Go Granola, Quiche Muffins, Blueberry Crisp
• Food Clues
  • Morning Glory Muffins, Chicken Cacciatore, Wild Rice and Berry Salad
• Guess the Spice
  • Seasoned Baked Chicken, Green Bean Sides, Crispy Chickpeas
• Mystery Bag
  • Fruit Salad, Great Greek Salad, Sloppy Joes
• Nutrition Categories
  • Roasted Vegetables, Three Bean Veggie Chili, Lasagna Roll Ups
• Oil & Cinnamon Handwashing Game
  • Mini Salmon Patties, Cranberry Bison Meatballs, Sunny Energy Bites

Talking About Food In a Positive Way

Try to not talk about foods as healthy or unhealthy, since this sends the message that some foods are good and some are bad. All foods fit in a healthy eating pattern. Instead of focusing on the health benefits of a food, encourage kids to explore the food using their five senses, talk about how the food is grown or produced, and discuss what recipes can be made with the food.

Creating an Inclusive Space

The focus of Adventures in Cooking is on cooking and exploring food. However, the subject of weight and dieting often comes up when talking about food. Conversations or comments  about dieting and weight should be steered back towards a focus on healthy living, for  example, exploring new foods, eating meals and snacks with others, getting enough sleep,  and doing activities that you enjoy. It’s important to emphasize that healthy bodies come in different shapes and sizes. Do your best to create a kitchen where all bodies are accepted  and making comments about appearance is not tolerated.

Learning and Teaching Moments

Each recipe includes various tips that can be shared with the kids during recipe preparation. These tips are meant to provide further information to enhance kids' learning and experience. These are also meant to guide kids when they recreate the recipes at home.
As conversations take place while cooking and eating, you can use this time to ask open-ended questions to the kids. This will further discussion and allow kids to learn from each other. Be sure to redirect the conversation if discussions start to bring judgement or shame. Remember food and cooking is very personal to each individual and family for a variety of
reasons.

Meals and snacks

• Do you have a favourite meal?
• Do you have a favourite snack?
• Does your family eat meals together and where do they like to eat?
• Do you have any traditions around family meals that you would like to share?

Food literacy skills

• Why do you think it is important to know how to cook?
• Do you ever go grocery shopping with your parent/guardian?
• Do you help with the dishes at home?
• Do you like cooking or baking with a particular person?

Cultural dishes

• Do you have a favourite cultural dish?
• Who prepares it and do you ever help out?

Hunger and thirst cues

• How do you know when your body is hungry?
• How do you know you are thirsty?
• How do you know when your body is full?

Food Allergies

Pay close attention to the registration form and any food allergies that are listed. We  recommend that you discuss any food allergies with the child’s caregiver. If you are unsure  about certain ingredients, you can contact a dietitian at your local health unit.

Kitchen Safety

• Leaders should have current First Aid/CPR training.
• Ensure the kitchen is equipped with an appropriate fire extinguisher.
• Find out where the telephone, exits, fire extinguisher and first aid kit are in the building where you will be cooking.
• A knife safety demonstration can be found in the Helpful Extras. We recommend doing it before starting the first cooking session.

Food Safety

We strongly encourage all leaders get their Food Handler Training certificate before delivering Adventures in Cooking.

If you are receiving training from the health unit to deliver this program, the fee for Food Handler’s training may be covered. Please notify the Environmental Health Department at your local public health unit about your program. They can provide a consultation to ensure your cooking facility is equipped to run the program.

Cleaning up Body Fluids

Avoid direct contact with body fluids (e.g., urine, feces, vomit, blood), as they all have the  potential to spread germs. Germs in vomit and diarrhea may travel through the air, so it is  very important to clean it up quickly. 

The following is a good procedure to use:

1. Put on disposable gloves.
2. Remove all the visible material, including foods that may have become contaminated, working from the least to the most soiled areas, using paper towel or a single-use cloth. If you are cleaning up feces or vomit, be careful not to agitate the material, so that virus particles do not become airborne. Put all material in a waterproof bag for disposal.
3. Clean the area using soap or detergent, again working from the least to the most soiled areas.
4. Disinfect the area using a 1:10 bleach solution.
5. Make the solution by mixing 2 Tbsp (30 mL) bleach in 1 cup (250 mL) water or 2 cups

6. (500 mL) bleach in a 1 gallon (4 L) water. Always make a fresh solution daily. Because of the level of contamination, this bleach solution is much stronger than the solution used for regular sanitizing. The bleach must contact the affected area for a minimum of 10 minutes.

7. Food contact surfaces that were disinfected require a potable water rinse after the  ten minute contact time has been achieved. 

8. Discard gloves and other cleaning articles in a plastic bag. You can dispose of liquid wastes in the toilet or down the utility sink drain. 
9. Wash your hands after removing the gloves.
10. Wash the non-disposable cleaning equipment (e.g., mops, buckets) thoroughly with soap and water and then rinse with a bleach solution.

Preparation

Select a session theme (for example, Beary Best Breakfasts) and pick the recipes from the recipe bank(s). Themes could be based on seasonal ingredients, celebrations and important dates, recipe types, or mealtimes. If you wish, use the Planning Worksheet in the Helpful Extras to guide you through the process of preparing for your session. Use it as a quick reference for your shopping list, equipment needed, dietary restrictions of participants, and
teaching points for the selected recipes.

Set Up

1. Before the children arrive, prepare a snack and put out cups with a pitcher of water to have available during the session.

2. Set up equipment and ingredients according to your selected recipes.

3. Print recipes to send home with children.

4. Have hair elastics or hairnets available for children to confine hair. They can also use their own ball cap or bandana.

Snack Time and Ground Rules

While the children eat their snack and get settled, set ground rules to create a positive and safe environment.

Post them in the kitchen to refer to if participants need a reminder.

Ask participants what they think should be included.

Examples may include:

• Everyone has something to learn and something to contribute

• Listen to the leaders

• Be kind to one another

• Always treat food and kitchen equipment with respect

• Wash your hands often

• No running in the kitchen

• Keep hands to yourself

• Have fun!

Recipe Review

Let's Cook!

1. Confine their hair with an elastic or hair net. They can also use their own ball cap or bandana.

2. Wash their hands. Refer to the Activities for a handwashing game.

3. Put on an apron after hands are clean.

4. Divide into their recipe groups (if dividing them up).

5. Start cooking!

Let's Eat!

Ensure that children wash their hands before handling clean dishes. Teach the children how to set the table (see Table Setting Placemat in the Helpful Extras) and discuss the importance of table manners.
Have everyone sit down and enjoy the meal together (including leaders!). Let the conversation flow naturally or try using a talking stone (whoever has the stone can speak, while the others listen). You can also use this time to discuss key learnings from the
day’s theme or recipes.
Although kids are more likely to try new foods and recipes when they have been a part of preparing them, please do not put any pressure on them to taste anything. Kids gain eating competence by being able to decide how much or whether they want to eat.

Let's Clean Up!

As the children finish eating, ask them to bring their own dishes to the dishwashing area. If needed, assign tasks for clean-up. Duties include washing, rinsing and sanitizing dishes, wiping the table and counters, sweeping the floor and putting away ingredients, equipment, and clean dishes. Try to clean and sanitize as you go to prevent a pile of dishes at the
end.
Emphasize that cleaning up is part of cooking too and it can be just as fun! Try singing a song, telling jokes or simply get to know your participants while you work together.