About Cooking Matters
Cooking Matters is a fun, hands-on cooking and nutrition course for youth in grades 5–8, offered at St. Peter's Episcopal Church for six evenings throughout the autumn season. Youth learn to chop, dice, and mince like a chef — and each week they receive a bag of groceries to practice what they learned at home with their family. The class is free, and participants register in advance.
What Youth Learn
The programme uses skills-based lessons to develop hands-on familiarity in three areas that promote healthy eating on a budget:
- Healthy eating — how to integrate fruits and vegetables into everyday meals
- Food resource management — how to eat well on a limited budget
- Food and kitchen safety — essential skills for cooking independently
Programme Partners
Developed by the national programme Share Our Strength, Cooking Matters is part of the No Kid Hungry Campaign to end childhood hunger in America. Locally, the programme is supported through the Wyckoff Family Foundation, FoodLink, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Eat Smart NY, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
Current Status
The 2025 Fall Cooking Matters programme was a great success. Please check back for updates on the 2026 Cooking Matters class, which will be offered next autumn. To be notified when registration opens, contact our office.