Cooking Matters: Positive Change Through Classroom Learning
“Cooking Matters” – that’s the declaration that welcomes students in Fresno into the titular program designed to engage, inspire and educate kids through nutrition and healthy habits-based food classes. The six-week afterschool program is helmed by Fresno Metro Ministry, a local nonprofit that has been advocating for increased equity and wellness for Fresno citizens – particularly those who are Black and Brown – for over 45 years.
Because while Fresno may be one of the United States’ top agriculture suppliers, fresh produce, and the positive impact it has on health, aren’t reaching the city’s communities. In Fresno, a heartbreaking 49.8% of Black children live below the poverty line, and nearly half of the city’s census tracks are identified as experiencing food apartheid, the racial discriminatory structures that impact food access.
Metro’s mission is tackling the challenges that are leading to such staggering stats and paving the way for their neighborhoods to see increased wellness, health and equity. That healthier future starts with the city’s kids, which is why Metro has dedicated many of its resources to ensuring that students get an early start learning about nutrition and food sovereignty.
“Going hungry or missing out on healthy food in a place of such plenty is an injustice that motivates us every day, and a large part of the solution is providing children with knowledge of how to eat better, now and into the future,” said Emogene Nelson, executive director at Fresno Metro Ministry. “Through Cooking Matters, we give kids the confidence to unlock the life-sustaining power of food. When put to practice at the grocery store and in the kitchen, that knowledge has the potential to help kids avoid preventable diseases later in life and set themselves up for longer, healthier lives.”
As part of its Strengthening Cities initiative, Rite Aid Healthy Futures funding supported Fresno Metro Ministry and its many food-related programs. Overall, Fresno Metro Ministry reached more than 600 students in 2022, with 240 alone participating in the Cooking Matters program.
At a glance, Cooking Matters is a free program that provides after-school nutrition classes. But digging deeper, you’ll find that there’s much more happening that that. The impact moves beyond students to reach their families and fellow community members.
Cooking Matters addresses every aspect of the food system, from growing produce to the challenges of food waste and all that comes between. The result is an engaging, knowledge-building experience that not only gets kids cooking, but gets them thinking about nutrition, wellness and the role of food in their own lives.
During the six-week program, students participate in hands-on lessons, visit Metro’s local urban garden, Yo’Ville, create their own healthy meals and learn the basics of nutritious eating. And of course, they grow their confidence and build their social skills along the way.
Get to Know Cooking Matters
In 2022, Metro served about 240 students through Cooking Matters, many of whom took their learnings and recipes home to their families.
Cooking Matters classes begin after the school day has wrapped when Metro staff arrive at the classroom bringing with them all the materials needed for the day. Students help by organizing ingredients, preparing the necessary tools and, when it’s time, lending a hand with the clean-up to ensure all school spaces stay clean and ready for use. The process teaches them not only how to prepare for cooking, but how to help a team member to complete a goal.
During the knowledge-based lessons, students learn to read nutrition labels, how food reaches communities and the challenges of health disparities. When the cooking starts, instructors guide them as they learn to use kitchen tools, try new foods and tackle unfamiliar tasks. Kids learn to chop vegetables, the basics of knife safety and how to prepare meals that incorporate important nutrients like fiber and protein.
And of course, the kids also cook plenty of healthy, budget-friendly recipes designed to be simple, delicious and affordable. Some favorite recipes include broccoli cheddar soup, turkey tacos and charcuterie boards, each made in class by students themselves.
Many students find that they are using ingredients they have never used or eaten before, and kids who find healthy foods like beans and tomatoes to be “yucky” at the start of class not only learn to like the new tastes but are also impressed that something healthy tastes so good!
Here are some recent rave reviews of Cooking Matters recipes from enthusiastic students:
"Pancakes with honey and toasted coconut with bananas is my all-time new fave!” — Brisa, Tehipite Middle School
“These burgers are better than In-N-Out!” — Josiah, Heaton Elementary School
"My mom cooked with me. My family loved the tacos!" — Alexandra, King Elementary School
A student shares more about foods that are important to her life and family
But while kids may be excited that the food tastes so good, flavor is just one part of the lessons provided by Metro. An essential component of Cooking Matters recipes is that not only are they healthy and enjoyable, but they’re also easy to recreate at home on a budget, and classes are encouraged to bring their new cooking knowledge home to the family.
One Cooking Matters student, Zipporah, shared how rewarding it was to introduce her family to one of her class’s recipes: “My family just kicked back and let me cook. My little sister helped me with cutting and peeling the onions. Even though they only had one bowl of the broccoli cheddar soup they got really full. Everybody just loved it.”
Zipporah’s mom also reflected on how much Cooking Matters has impacted her daughter.
“She has all the recipes presented in the class. I even bought a binder with protective sheets so that she can put together her recipes. This program is something that we need in our community, and it also keeps kids off of electronics all day.”
Beyond whipping up recipes, Cooking Matters also gives students opportunities to participate in lessons outdoors, where they enjoy safe, green spaces like Metro’s own local urban garden, Yo’Ville. While at the gardens, students learn more about the direct connection between land and the food they eat.
Students prepare a recipe with guidance from their instructors
“Kids learn that their food doesn’t really come from a grocery store, it comes from a farm. It grows out of the ground,” shared Jennifer Rhoden, a project coordinator with Metro.
For many students, the experience of thoroughly green space is a new one. Many don’t have easy access to gardens or farms, and their visits to them are often highlights of the course.
In the gardens, kids meditate, play and learn more about how things like beneficial bugs, such as butterflies and worms, help contribute to food production. They also bring journals, where they can keep track of what they see and write about their experiences.
But while lessons about nutrition and gardening sound good to adults, there’s one more part of Cooking Matters that makes it so impactful – it’s just plain good fun. Kids love the program, and they’re eager to engage in hands-on learning. The dedicated staff looks for new ways to get kids interested, like using celebrity examples, such as pro athlete Lebron James, to help them understand how food can fuel their minds and bodies. For kids, the idea of running faster and playing longer is always a good proposition.
Beyond the Classroom
At its core, Cooking Matters is designed to help kids make the connection between food and health and to see how they can use their knowledge to build healthier futures for themselves. It also serves the critical role of spreading awareness of food apartheid and its impact on health equity, preparing students to navigate the challenges they may face in their communities.
The impact Cooking Matters has on its students is visible to the community, and as a result, the past few years have seen increased demand for Cooking Matters classes. Adults themselves are looking for similar resources.
After a class on food recovery and preventing food waste triggered lots of questions about preparing meals, Metro began offering cooking demos to adults as well. The classes not only bring cooking to new learners but also show the community how resources from local gardens and food pantries can be used in their own kitchens.
“We’ve learned over the years that if a family doesn’t know what to do with a particular item that’s received from the pantry, it will be tossed in the trash and eventually end up in the landfills,” said Emogene Nelson, executive director at Fresno Metro Ministry. “The purpose is to educate our community on the benefits of healthy cooking and eating while reducing food waste”.
From the start, Metro’s work has been drawn from the needs of its communities, which face food apartheid, health disparities and other social challenges. Cooking Matters isn’t their only way of addressing these systemic problems.
Metro’s mission of “Learning, Connecting, and Engaging to Achieve Healthy People and Healthy Places” is actualized by its five main programs: Food to Share: Food Recovery and Distribution, Food Education and Nutrition Programs, Community Gardens, Fresno Food Security Network, and Better Blackstone.
The programs work together to build and support and a long-term vision for healthier communities across Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley by tackling food insecurity, neighborhood revitalization, leadership development and public health.
“Sustaining and growing this core local food infrastructure is critical to innovating with kids at schools and growing these programs for children and youth into systemic scale and impact,” Nelson said.
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