#MIKidsCan Cook Healthy Meals
Ashley Littles
| 2 min read
Moms and dads across the mitten know the angst of preparing meals for picky or sensitive eaters, and the diligence it takes to pack mealtime with nutritional value.
Research has shown us that health ailments like childhood obesity, high cholesterol, tooth decay and diabetes are risks associated with poor nutrition.
If it’s too green, not fried, or any deviation from the only foods little ones have grown to covet, parents can find themselves on the exhausting end of a hard-fought battle. Well, not to worry. The Healthier Michigan team recently discovered a secret weapon that will empower your entire family to make healthy food choices by teaching them how to prepare meals.
Meet Healthy Hands Cooking, a culinary program that uses age-appropriate, hands-on cooking classes to teach children as young as two how to understand and prepare healthy, nutritious meals.
Jan Walker Pinnington, C.N.C., is a certified nutrition counselor, working mom and the founder of Healthy Hands Cooking. After realizing her children were forming unhealthy food habits, she set out to change they way they perceived and interacted with food by empowering them to understand and prepare their own meals.
Healthy Hands Cooking classes are theme-based and can be customized to accommodate food allergies and intolerances. The first activity for each student is based solely on nutrition, where students complete an activity that teaches techniques like how to how read food labels, or how to determine the sugar content of their favorite snacks. Next, they go on to create a healthier alternative.
The classes range from beginners as young as two, to advanced classes for tweens. Class type and duration are scheduled around your family’s needs.
Healthy Hands Cooking also hosts birthday parties, cooking camps and school presentations. Instructors undergo certifications, food handling safety courses, and background checks to ensure they are trustworthy and experienced.
If you are looking for a way to make healthy eating exciting and more hands-on, or have a budding chef in your family, you may want to give Healthy Hands Cooking a try!
Looking for other ways to make healthier meals for your family? Check out these blogs:
Photo Credit: Kelly Sikkema
