Our Work | FOOD SKILLS EDUCATION
Food Skills and Nutrition Education: Healthy Meals at Home
Kids need healthy meals at home to thrive. Part of our work is helping parents and caregivers get the knowledge and skills they need to prepare healthy meals.
For many years, Share Our Strength ran a program called Cooking Matters that worked in communities across the country to help parents and caregivers develop the skills to shop for and cook nutritious meals on a budget. We ended Cooking Matters in 2023, but we continue to offer Cooking Matters resources to community programs across the country.
After a store tour
85%
of families reported buying more nutritious food.
After a training
89%
of families reported saving money on groceries.
Helping Kids and Families
Cooking Matters has been helping families lead healthier lives for 30 years.
Cooking Classes
We offer free cooking classes for parents, kids and child care providers. Each lesson is taught by experts in many different community-based settings. Participants learn about cooking, meal prep, grocery shopping, food budgeting, and nutrition.
Digital Training
For those who can’t join our classes or tours, or those who want to keep the learning going long after class ends, we offer digital resources such as healthy recipes and an extensive collection of videos.
Grocery Store Tours
We hold short, easy tours at local grocery stores to help people learn how to shop strategically and choose the foods they need to cook simple, healthy meals.
Lesson Plans
We work with experts to develop educational materials that schools, churches and community groups can use to help parents and caregivers.
“I would highly recommend the course to anyone who is interested in learning more about healthy eating and how to strategically stretch their food budget. Plus you’ll get to fill your belly with tasty foods the whole family will enjoy.”– Cooking Class Participant