Making Healthy Living Delicious
Kids in Williamson and Gilbert had the chance to learn a little about healthy, delicious living this summer, thanks to Kristin DeBoard. Kristin, who teaches the Jr. Chef cooking classes throughout the year, hosted a camp in Williamson from July 17-19, and a mini-camp on the 31st in Gilbert.
Kristin decided to go more in-depth with the camps this year by teaching students different terms often used in cooking, including different words for cutting and a handful of French terms. She also included more nutrition education in the camps. After each recipe she taught, she reviewed a chart showing what a healthy, balanced diet looks like. “The kids get to see where they are really lacking in their daily diet and how easy it is to add something to fix it.”
Students at the Williamson camp learned to make 3 different recipes: ham and cheese griddle cakes, falafel with Greek sauce in a pita, and chicken and sausage goulash on flatbread. At the shorter mini-camp, Kristin chose to highlight the most important details from the Williamson camp. Kids learned to make the goulash. It was important to Kristin to get to Gilbert. “We have a group from over there that come to all our kids classes here,” She explains. “So it was our turn to get to them.”
Kristin often finds herself surprised by her students. One newcomer at the Williamson campus came in with knowledge of many of the terms she covered, and really “took off with the lesson.” Moments like these are what she loves about teaching the class. “The kids will show you stuff that you don’t think they know or understand and they are awesome at doing it and following directions.”
The Jr. Chef cooking classes will resume this fall. Visit here to learn more about this summer’s cooking camps!