The Dinner Party Project

When children learn where their food comes from and acquire hands-on skills in the kitchen, they're more likely to eat a healthful diet. That's the premise behind The Dinner Party Project, a nationwide cooking program introduced by Spoons Across America,® an organization dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating. Recently, the five-week program came to Liz's town of Lexington, MA where a group of twenty 5th grade students were taught about nutrition (that's where Liz came in), food safety, meal planning, table setting, etiquette, and cooking. The course culminated with a giant dinner party where the kids cooked a delicious meal of roasted chicken and autumn vegetables, salad, and homemade bread that their families were able to enjoy. One of the coolest things about Lexington's Dinner Party was the role that the Lexington Farmer's Market was able to play. Students had the opportunity to tour the market, meet local farmers, and create the meal using fresh ingredients from the area. If you want to bring the Dinner Party Project to your community, check out http://www.spoonsacrossamerica.org/.