By Lia Spencer
THERE’S no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen when you’re inspiring kids to create.
Cooking 4 Kids inspires children between the ages 3 to 17 to discover, create and master their cooking skills while learning about healthy food choices and preparation.
Cooking 4 Kids has been part of Meg White’s life since July 2014 after she decided to merge her passion for food with her love of teaching.
“While working as a chef, I started participating in volunteer work at a primary school with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. I knew then that I’d fallen in love with educating children,” she said. “Needing a change from being a full-time chef and wanting a new challenge, a children’s cooking and development studio was the natural progression.”
Children at the Berwick cooking studio cook their own individual recipe from scratch – weighing, measuring, mixing, creating and cooking everything themselves.
“It helps to build their confidence and gives them a sense of ownership and achievement upon completing a class,” Meg said.
“Cooking is more than just the production of food, it aids children in enhancing their maths and literacy skills, coordination, independence, confidence, exploration of flavors, cultural awareness, nutritional understanding, imagination and creativeness.
“Educating children is having an effect on the families associated with Cooking 4 Kids. The family dynamic associated with food preparation, eating habits, lifestyle choices and environmental sustainability is filtering into these families, creating a ripple effect into the wider community.”
Cooking 4 Kids runs after school classes for children aged 5-7, 8-12 and 13-17 from Tuesdays to Saturdays. School holiday classes run during the Victorian School holiday timetabled periods. Birthday parties are also available at the studio on Saturdays and Sundays. Cooking 4 Kids can also host special event cooking classes to raise money for charities as well as masterclasses for children and parents to cook together.
For more information phone 0455 552 000, email: cooking4kids@outlook.com.au or visit www.cooking4kids.net.au, Facebook: Cooking4KidsAu or Instagram: cooking_4_kids_au.
