Welcome to Cooking Matters!
Cooking Matters empowers families within local communities with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to prepare healthy and affordable meals. As the authorized ‘Lead Partner’, The Idaho Foodbank partners with local organizations throughout Idaho to recruit volunteer culinary and nutrition experts to host courses specific to each community. Through these courses Cooking Matters course participants learn how to select nutritious and low-cost ingredients and prepare them in ways that provide the best nourishment possible to their families.
There are multiple curriculums, including Cooking Matters for Adults, Kids, Teens, and Families, to name a few. Courses are 6 weeks long and are scheduled throughout the year.
The Idaho Foodbank is the authorized ‘Lead Partner’ in Idaho to operate Cooking Matters. Cooking Matters is a national program of Share our Strength and is nationally sponsored by the ConAgra Foods® Foundation and Walmart and locally sponsored by Albertson's, Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health, Inc. the Walmart Foundation, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the Twin County United Way and United Way of Southeastern Idaho.
In order to operate Cooking Matters successfully, we rely on the commitment of volunteer culinary and nutrition experts to teach our courses, which allows us to expand the program throughout the state. The volunteer time commitment is approximately 4 hours per week for 7 weeks. Share Our Strength has a few short overview videos posted below.
Making It
|
Setting
|
Learner-Centered |
Team Teaching |
Volunteer
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Cooking
|
Keeping
|
Organizing
|
Saving
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Do you serve low-income residents of Idaho? Would your clients benefit from hands-on cooking classes and learning food budgeting skills? If your agency would like to provide this great program to the clients you serve, please consider applying to be a host site. Your organization does not necessarily have to have access to a kitchen to make Cooking Matters work for you!
Cooking Matters is an efficient way to provide budgeting, nutrition, and cooking information to 15 families per session. The cost for materials and supplies for each 6-week Cooking Matters course is entirely underwritten through grants and sponsorships. If you would like to learn more about Cooking Matters and sponsorship opportunities, please contact our Development Department at jjohnson@idahofoodbank.org . Consider that each course impacts up to 15 families.
Your funds will be put to work quickly to continue and expand our education efforts.
If you would like more information about Cooking Matters classes or volunteer opportunities,
please contact: Jessyca Tyler
Nutrition Education Coordinator
208-577-2692
cookingmatters@idahofoodbank.org
Cooking Matters
Fact Sheet
About Cooking Matters
