The Foods curriculum series from Purdue University is designed to help youth have fun in the kitchen as they learn basic food preparation skills, prepare different foods, do fun experiments, and go on fact-finding missions. These educational materials have been created with a focus on healthy food selection, smart food purchasing, food safety and science, food preparation, food preservation, and careers in the food industry.
- Fantastic Foods, Level A—Healthy eating and food safety begin with basic nutritional information. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate initiative is the foundation for fun experiments, delicious recipes, and fact-finding missions.
- Tasty Tidbits, Level B—Take a closer look at how following USDA MyPlate guidelines can lead to a healthier lifestyle, plus activities in safe food handling, preparing delicious recipes, smart shopping, and food science careers.
- You’re the Chef, Level C—Find more delicious recipes and hands-on activities in food preservation, meal preparation and service, managing resources, introductory canning, careers in the food industry, and much more. Enhance the USDA’s MyPlate with SuperTracker tools that encourage healthy eating and physical activity.
- Foodworks, Level D—Foodworks explores how nutritional needs change at different stages of life. More hands-on activities focus on food safety, managing resources, serving delicious and balanced meals, pressure canning, plant-based diets, and careers in dietetics.
- Foods Curriculum Helper’s Guide—This Project Helper Guide provides additional background that you can use when helping youth through the activities in their guides through all levels of the project.
