Growing Healthier Students for the 2021/2022 School Year

The first day of school is approaching quickly and EATS staff is looking forward to cooking and gardening with students in their schools again!

Here’s what we have on our schedule of classes so far: 

Curious Cooks classes at McPolin, Jeremy Ranch, Parley’s, and Trailside elementary schools begin as soon as school does! EATS educators travel to each elementary school’s after school program to teach engaging cooking lessons that spark interest in culinary skills. Curious Cooks recipes are designed to supplement students with a nutritious, calorie-dense, snack on Fridays when students are attending after school programming from after lunch all the way until they go home to have dinner. Students can attend Curious Cooks Classes during after school programming hosted by the Park City School District.

YSA Cooking Classes for middle school students are always a hit! These cooking classes are designed for more advanced chefs to work in the classroom kitchens at middle schools across the Wasatch back. EATS and YSA will be hosting classes at Ecker Hill, Treasure Mountain, and South Summit middle schools that teach skills ranging from recipe writing to learning about flavors in dishes from all over the world. Register for YSA and EATS cooking classes here.

Family Meals Month Cooking Classes at St. Mary’s Church begin September 8th and will continue on Wednesday nights throughout September. As EATS has continued our journey into cooking and eating more local foods, we have found that we have an abundance of greens. We acquire greens like basil, cilantro, dill, carrot tops, spinach, arugula, and more from farmers in the Park City area, friends of EATS, and through growing these greens in greenhouses.

The best way we have found to use tons of greens all at once is to make green sauce. Green sauces are made all over the world using similar methods with locally appropriate ingredients. We want to share the magic of green sauce with our community by exploring the flavors of chermoula, sofrito, pesto, and chimichurri. Come join us to learn more about the components of a decadent green sauce as we make recipes from around the world! Register for Family Meals Month Cooking Classes here.

Garden Education at Parley’s Park Elementary School has progressed over the last couple of years as EATS garden staff and interns have worked to utilize the greenhouse behind the elementary school to further students’ learning in CORE science standards. We can’t wait for Tuesdays in the greenhouse and digging in the vermiculture (worm composting) bins with students again!

These classes are offered to all Parley’s Park Elementary School teachers to decide when is the best time to bring their class to the greenhouse. Talk to your student’s teacher to learn more. 

Here are some classes to look out for as the school year progresses: 

Cooking Classes at the PC Learning Center will be hosted once per month! EATS educators and Learning Center students cook elaborate recipes supplemented with ingredients grown in a hydroponic tower garden on site. It’s an awesome way to explore different meanings to the term “farm to table.” We like to say “school to table!”

Middle School Curious Cooks classes hosted at the Ecker Hill after-school program are a longstanding tradition. EATS educators love teaching about higher-level topics like mindfulness while cooking and eating and the sustainability of different ingredients. We are grateful to be able to host these classes in the home economics or family and consumer sciences classroom at the middle school and have access to a full kitchen to learn in. 

Greenhouse classes at the Park City Day School are brand new this year as EATS Garden and Sustainability Manager is lending a hand in getting things growing in the wonderful space The Day School has to offer. We can’t wait to explore growing food inside this winter with students of all ages attending The Day School. 

Looking forward to cooking and gardening with our community again this year, 

The EATS team