Eat Your Greens!

Many parents wonder why we do what we do here at school. Why is my child running around in an apron pretending to be a baker or meowing like a cat? Why blank paper versus coloring book pages? Why are they chopping vegetables and cooking when they could be learning reading or math? Here we will tackle the last question and talk a bit about the value of cooking in the classroom.

For children to engage in intellectual work, such as math or reading, what is required of them? They need to move carefully, to work with focus, to follow sequential steps, to concentrate, to make intelligent choices and to persevere. All of that is learned through cooking.  

 In cooking children learn how to work in a group. They take turns and share limited space and materials as they work towards as common goal. They also work independently strengthening their growing hands as they chop carrots, slice kale and harvest baby lettuce from the greenhouse. As they use tools like knives, spoons and as they open and close jars and scoop flour they are making their hands and fingers stronger and more coordinated.

When we prepare foods at school, children are more adventurous about eating; crispy green kale chips, split pea soup thick with carrots and celery, pale green and purple lettuce are tried and enjoyed by most. Children learn to try new things, to take risks and to share the fruits of their cooking labor with their school community.

 When children cook we talk to them a lot about what they are doing. They are learning new words as we talk about leafy greens, stems, seeds, pitting, colanders, and more. They are scientists as they measure and mix; as they observe what happens when we add water to the flour. 

They learn comparative words as they measure items for a recipe and fill a pitcher with water. They develop problem solving skills through experimentation and observe cause and effect as they watch liquid batter sizzle in the hot pan. 

They learn how to approach the world with curiosity and a well earned sense of confidence in their abilities. When they share homemade soup with a friend or eat fresh warm bread with rosemary from our garden, they are participating in that most ancient and essential ritual of food and family. When a child has many experiences in these kinds of practical and rewarding work, they are gaining skills that will serve them in their academic life and well beyond. And that my friends is yummy stuff indeed!