Nourishing Grandkids                                                                                          

It’s Monday and ten children, ages 5-12, are in the Community Room at Grandfamilies Place. They can’t wait until 4:30 pm to attend the healthy cooking class with their grandparents. Not only will they learn about eating healthy, they will also learn life skills. Prior to the starting of class, they all wash their hands, put on their aprons, chef hats and gloves.  

One by one, they stand in front of the class to introduce themselves and their grandparents. They are always asked a question. Today, they are asked, “What is your favorite fruit and why?”  Afterwards, their grandparents engage briefly in a discussion about what foods to eat to avoid inflammation and the symptoms of dehydration.   

On this day, it’s 110 degrees. A perfect day for showing everyone how to make smoothies. But first, the children will make almond milk. The almonds have soaked for six hours. After the children make the almond milk, they blend it with various fruits and dates to make a refreshing drink.  And they learn how to plate the smoothies and serve their grandparents.    

These healthy cooking classes have created a significant impact by accomplishing the following goals:

1. broadening the participants’ experience with healthy foods
2. elevating the children’s confidence
3. drawing the children out of their shells
4. socializing the children who can now talk to their cousins about what they learned in class
5. teaching the children to work as a team and to take turns
6. improving the children’s sharing and caring
7. enabling both the children and grandparents to make friends and form relationships
8. having children look forward to serving their grandparents
9. hearing the adults often comment to each other how much the children’s public speaking has improved
10. ensuring that the children eat what they prepare by involving them in the food preparation(Thus, they are eating more fruits and vegetables.)
11. ensuring that grandparents eat fruit and vegetables and do not run out of food at the end of the month because they receive fruit and vegetables at every class.

We thank our sponsors that make this program possible throughout the year, African American Women’s Giving and Empowerment Circle, Carstens Family Funds and State Farm.