FAMILY COOKING PROJECT
Thanks to funding from the Luke Four Foundation, Kawartha Lakes Food Source (KFLS) is able to pilot a Family Cooking Project in Kirkfield.
The Family Cooking Project has ten families from Lady Mackenzie Public School in Kirkfield cooking and learning together. Families are provided with three recipes a week along with the accompanying non-perishable and fresh ingredients that they need that week. The recipes include a dinner, light lunch and a snack or dessert.
Heather Kirby, General Manager of KFLS, commented, “Special thanks to the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit for partnering with KFLS and providing the nutritious and yummy recipes for the families.”
The goals of the Family Cooking Project are to help make better use of simple ingredients, strengthen the ability to stretch grocery money, improve health and family time, and to increase confidence and skills of all family members in the kitchen.
The pilot project is in week four and so far the response has been excitement and enjoyment. The students are excited to receive their weekly items and cannot wait to get home to try the new recipes. One of the parent’s said, “My son really enjoys the program so far and is already showing a love for cooking!”
The pilot wraps up at the end of May and the families will have developed the skills and taste for new recipes. Kirby hopes “the joy of simple, healthy meals will help the families be a little more resilient.”
The new Luke Four funding also increases fruit for KFLS’s 21 existing schools and allows for 3 additional schools, Bobcaygeon Public School, Dunsford Public School and St. Luke Catholic Elementary School to join the program.