On July 6, The Food Trust’s Katie Gunter and Jessica Weller provided an in-person Cooking Matters training for the staff of Grow Early Learning at their corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. The training provided an overview of the history and mission of Cooking Matters, introduced participants to Cooking Matters resources and implementation materials, and supported the organization’s train-the-trainer model. The goal was to prepare staff to educate Head Start center personnel to confidently facilitate Cooking Matters curricula for a variety of audiences, including families, caregivers, and children.
The staff participated in hands-on cooking demonstrations using two different recipes that helped showcase Cooking Matters’ emphasis and importance of cooking and eating together. They practiced reflection, facilitated dialogue and compare and contrasting activities to ensure highlighted Cooking Matters objectives were understood.
Participants had this to say about the training:
“I loved this training. I know that our families will find it interesting, fun and effective. I also know that our staff will like the Cooking Matters materials and offering the lessons with our families.”
“The experience brought out feelings of joy and fostered a strong sense of support among participants. Everyone was open to sharing ideas and strategies, which inspired creativity and innovation. The training encouraged and empowered us to think differently, work together, and learn from one another.”
“I enjoyed the simple yet impactful recipes and hands-on activities. Even as a dietitian I find it difficult to incorporate some foods (especially fruit) into my diet but that fruit tart one was delicious.”
These types of train-the-trainer sessions are a key piece of The Food Trust’s strategy for proliferating healthy cooking and eating practices: empowering educators around the country to bring important, nutrition-related skills and knowledge to the communities they serve.