Kids in the Kitchen

Carol Harrison teaching kids to cook at Sobeys test kitchen

The Food Revolution Team in Toronto has grown a bit this year with some new Ambassadors.  As a group we decided to try and do some events in advance of Food Revolution Day and not just the week of Food Revolution Day as we have done in the past 3 years.   Last night our new team member Monika Strzalkowska who works for Sobeys and Carol Harrison a dietician, in her second year as an Ambassador both joined forces to host a Free Kids Cooking class at the Sobeys test kitchen in Mississauga.   Myself and fellow Ambassador Mardi Michels joined in to help out with the class.   Carol started losing her voice so Mardi, myself and Carol's student assistant Samantha all pitched in to do a demo each to save Carol's voice and keep things moving along so that we could show the kids as many things as possible in the 3 hour class.

Monika, Mardi, Linda, Carol

New Ambassador Susan Ng came to support and brought her 3 kids with her and a friend with his kids as well.

Surprisingly it was a group of boys who were eager to learn how to cook some really healthy but tasty Jamie Oliver recipes of simple things they can make at home.

We taught them how to make:

Herb yoghurt dip with veggies (Carol)
Baked Chicken fingers (Mardi)
Granola (me) with a Strawberry Raspberry compote and Vanilla yoghurt
Smoothies (Samantha)

The kids loved watching us do the demos and then they got their chance to get hands on literally with the food and make some themselves.  They loved the chicken and loved the smell of the granola and the color of the smoothies.

Mardi helps the kids at Sobeys

I could tell it was a successful night when one of the kids said "can we come back again tomorrow".  That confirmed that we were getting them interested in being in the kitchen and learning an important skill for life.

Samantha teaching the kids smoothies

We hope to do some more cooking classes in the New Year so hopefully more to come along with Food Revolution Day events in May.   Susan and I are teaming up to do an Event in North York since we live in the same area.  So I hope it will be bigger and better than all of my events in previous years.

Linda and Susan at Sobeys test kitchen with Jamie Oliver looking over us.

I am looking forward to inspiring more kids to love cooking in the kitchen.

Food Revolution Day Toronto Ambassadors:

Carol Harrison on Twitter @GreatMealIdeas
Monika Strzalkowska at Sobeys
Mardi Michels Twitter @eatlivewrite Blog http://www.eatlivewrite.com
Susan Ng Twitter @susanssavourit  Blog http://www.susanssavourit.blogspot.ca/
Linda Matarasso (me) Twitter @integrityfilms and you obviously know my blog since you are reading it right now. :)

Follow the Toronto Team on Twitter @FoodRevToronto
Join our Facebook Group  Food Revolution Day Toronto

Not at event:
Christine Barisheff  Twitter@typeaconsult
Cerys McLellan  Twitter @cerysattable  Blog http://www.thetabletoday.com/

For More info about Sobeys and Jamie Oliver Food Programs:
Sobeys Better Food For All
Jamie Oliver Foundation

Find Food Revolution Ambassadors in your area http://www.foodrevolutionday.com/ambassadors/