The Menifee County Family and Consumer Sciences agent, in collaboration with the Snap-ed assistant, hosted a virtual “Cook Together, Eat Together” program. Six families registered and participated in three virtual cooking socials. Families who registered were provided with meal kits that they picked up from the extension office before the virtual meeting. Meal kits included all ingredients needed to prepare the recipes in approximate portion sizes, along with a copy of the recipe. With the final meal kit, a “Cook Together, Eat Together” recipe book was provided to each family.

Participants were able to join a private Facebook page where updates were made on meetings, recipes, etc. and where our Zoom meeting link to join the live cooking social was posted. During the virtual cooking social, the FCS agent walked through the recipe with participants demonstrating food safety, knife skills, and other applicable cooking techniques. The Menifee County Snap-ed assistant provided a short lesson on nutrition from the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum at the end of the lessons.

All participants reported through a survey that someone in their household learned a new cooking skill or improved a cooking skill through the program. All participants also reported that someone in their family tried a new food as part of the cooking program and that they were able to spend more time with their family through Cook Together, Eat Together.

One surveyed participant stated that her favorite part of Cook Together, Eat Together was “Trying new recipes that are healthy! We loved everything we tried. I don't like coconut but couldn't taste it in the granola. I also tried kale in the chicken and dumpling soup and I never would have thought to add kale to soup but it was amazing!” Someone else said that they enjoyed “Spending time with my kids and preparing nutritious meals together.” The Cook Together, Eat Together virtual program was an effective way to bring families together, encourage participants to eat more meals at home, and improve cooking skills and nutrition of the families who participated.

The pictures below are "final product" pictures submitted by families who participated in Cook Together, Eat Together. Recipes completed were Sunrise Granola, Creamy Broccoli Alfredo and Chicken and Dumpling Soup.