How to Partner with Us

If you are a community organization, we may be able to collaborate with you to bring our programs and resources to your parents and caregivers.

Our Partnership Model

Cooking Matters Colorado collaborates with hundreds of community-based organizations throughout the state to offer group education around feeding young children, print and digital resources to bring education to parents and caregivers outside of group settings, and technical assistance for organizations implementing policy, systems and environmental changes. We look to partner with organizations serving an audience of parents and caregivers who have children ages 0-5 years old and are working with a limited food budget. Participants in Cooking Matters programming often receive SNAP, WIC or other food assistance.

Some examples of our partnerships include Head Start centers, WIC clinics, food pantries, corner stores and family resource centers. In this partnership model, we work with you to learn your organization and client needs and work together to provide educational resources and organizational supports that meet those needs and are exciting to join. All our group education sessions and additional supports focus on overcoming common challenges related to saving time and money while feeding young children, as well as tips and tricks for feeding picky eaters.

Where Do Our Programs Take Place?

Our focus is on meeting participants where they live, work or play. Our online programs are held through Zoom where one of our staff members facilitates a highly interactive session, including cooking demonstrations. Our programs are all designed to have parents and caregivers sharing their own experiences and expertise.

Our in-person programs are held at a partner organization’s site, as we do not have a central location where programming operates. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, please reach out to Cooking Matters Colorado to learn about our current in-person programming offerings.

Why Would My Clients Want to Participate?

In addition to connecting with other families and learning how to save time, save money, and how to deal with all the challenges that come with feeding young kids, participants will receive either a $10 gift card or $10 value in physical groceries for participating in each lesson. Gift card options include: electronic gift cards OR physical grocery gift cards (most commonly King Soopers and Safeway). All participants will receive digital follow-up resources via email.

Will families that speak a language other than English be able to participate?

Our staff can offer programs in English, Spanish or both.

Can You Help with Recruitment?

We offer pre-made flyers, social media images and pre-written text messages to assist in your recruitment of parents and caregivers of children 0-5 into our interactive educational sessions.

Is There a Financial Commitment? The costs associated with implementing our educational sessions are covered by our supporters, but Cooking Matters asks our partners to consider sharing some of the programming costs, if able. No organization will be turned away if unable to contribute to a shared programming cost. It is important to note that participants in Cooking Matters sessions cannot be charged for attending.

Every partnership is a little bit different – we look forward to discussing your unique needs. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff to begin this important discussion.

Elizabeth Alden

ealden@strength.org

(303) 801-0329

Author First Name Last Name

AULT, COLORADO — Rosario lives with her husband and four youngest children. Her older daughter Gaby lives nearby and brings her one-year-old son over most days of the week. Rosario and her husband emigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico fourteen years ago with their two older children and worked for many years in a dairy. Rosario is grateful that they have been able to prosper here despite some obstacles and says that resources such as SNAP and community education classes have been helpful.

Rosario embraces her cultural traditions of cooking and working together as a family. They have a summer garden and raise chickens for eggs. “My family has always been very united, we like to work and have fun together as a team.”

When her son Gabriel was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes a few years ago, Rosario started looking for resources in her community. She learned in a diabetes education class that although they were eating nutritious foods, they needed to be more aware of portion size and using ingredients from all the food groups. This was an eye opener for Rosario and her family. She was inspired to change, but still unsure how to apply what she learned.

Rosario enrolled in a Cooking Matters for Families course at her children’s school. She says the course opened the doors for her. “The classes taught me to how to feed my family nutritious food without leaving my culture behind. When my son and I began to understand MyPlate and its food groups, his diabetes began to noticeably improve.”

In the six-week course, Rosario and Gabriel learned together about how to combine foods from different groups into delicious, healthy meals. “Mango with cucumber and other vegetables is delicious, I never imagined knowing how to combine vegetables and fruits like this.”

Rosario also learned tips to make cooking easier and more fun, like planning meals, organizing ingredients, and having all her children help in the kitchen. “We spend time together and share new ideas such as adding new vegetables and seasonings.” Involving the kids in planning and cooking has resulted in the family trying new foods.

Rosario encouraged her daughter Gaby to sign up for a Cooking Matters for Parents course. Gaby learned about nutrition, cooking and shopping, as well as tips to raise a healthy eater. “I was shocked when I realized the damage we do to our health by eating fast food – sometimes we would eat fast food several times a week.” Gaby enjoyed the hands-on cooking in each class. “It made me feel like I can read and cook any recipe. This class definitely influenced my way of introducing solid foods to my baby.”

Gaby shared her new skills with her husband when they went grocery shopping together. When he chose a box of oatmeal based on its attractive packaging, Gaby applied what she learned in Cooking Matters to compare products using food labels finding that the generic brand of the same product was less expensive. “Reading the ingredients, my husband and I saw that the only difference was the box and the price – and we could save $1.99! We were really surprised how much more money we spent before.”

Rosario, Gaby and the children continue to practice their skills together in the kitchen, using the Cooking Matters book and kitchen utensils they received in the class. They also use food labels and unit prices to make smart shopping choices together.

“Now that we are at home, we have our own weekly Cooking Matters class. We appoint a cook and a person in charge of checking the grocery list. We make a weekly meal plan using our favorite recipes. My children are learning new skills, like reading the recipes and calculating the prices of the food that they choose to put on the menu. We use the ingredients we already have in the cupboard, sometimes having to substitute so as not to go out to the store for new ingredients. We also read the nutrition labels and talk about the portions of the food groups on our plate. My children are learning how to manage money and have a good diet.”

Resources for Caregivers

Use the linked resources shared here to connect kids and caregivers with nutritious food anywhere in Colorado.

Meal/Food Resources

Food Bank of the Rockies

For food distribution sites across Denver Metro, Northern Colorado and the Western Slope check https://www.foodbankrockies.org/emergency-assistance/

Care and Share Food Bank

Please check careandshare.org/FindFood for the latest info about meal programs and food distribution sites in Southern Colorado.

Weld County

Check https://weldfoodbank.org/access-a-food-program/ for information about Emergency Food Boxes, the Mobile Food Pantry, Senior Feeding Programs and Child Feeding Programs across Weld County.

Community Food Share

To find food assistance in Boulder and Broomfield Counties, check https://communityfoodshare.org/get-food/find-food-pantry/

Food Bank of Larimer County

Visit https://foodbanklarimer.org/news/covid-19/ for updated info about changes to food distribution in Larimer County.

Food Banks

If you need emergency food assistance, but are unsure about locations close to you, check Feeding America’s Find a Local Food Bank map tool.

Texting Hotline to Find Meals During Coronavirus School Closures

No Kid Hungry has launched a texting hotline to provide information about emergency food distribution sites in communities where schools have been closed due to COVID19. Families can text the word “FOOD” (or “COMIDA”) to 877877 to find their nearest sites.

CO Farmers Market Association

Resources for farmers, farmers markets, and farmers market patrons to get up-to-date information on market status across the state.

City of Thornton – Community Connections

Collection of resources for Thornton residents, including food access sites.

City and County of Denver – Tasty Meals

Denver invites youth, ages 1 – 18, to enjoy breakfast, lunch, a nutritious snack or a supper meal that includes up to five food groups low in fat, preservative free, and served with fresh fruit on the side. Registration or signing in is not required, just show up and eat up, and YES … you can bring a friend, or two, or three, or more! View breakfast and lunch times provided by Denver Public Schools during COVID-19.

WIC

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides healthy food, nutrition education (including breastfeeding promotion and support), and referrals to health and other social services to participants at no charge. WIC serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk. WIC is available in all U.S. states and territories. It is funded by federal grants and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, along with state and local agencies. Am I eligible for WIC benefits? | Find the toll-free number to your WIC state agency | Find answers to common questions about WIC

SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) helps low-income families buy the food they need for good health. It is funded by federal grants and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, along with state and local agencies. SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities. Am I eligible for SNAP benefits? | Find the toll-free number to your SNAP state agency| Find a store that accepts SNAP benefits in your area | Find answers to common questions about SNAP

General Resources

Colorado 2-1-1

Hotline and website with information about available Colorado resources related to food, housing, shelter, rental and utility assistance, healthcare, childcare, employment, and more.

SNAP-Ed Health Channel

Videos of CDC-recommended proper handwashing and other health precautions

STEPS Guides: Resources & Support to Promote Food Security

From SNAP and WIC to free lunch for kids and seniors, get expert insight and find key resources to help you, a friend, or a loved one become food secure.

Who We Are

Cooking Matters runs programs with Colorado parents and caregivers that cover how to shop for and cook healthy, kid-friendly, and affordable meals.

Our Goal

Cooking Matters is a campaign of Share Our Strength that helps end childhood hunger by inspiring families to make healthy, affordable food choices. Our goal is for all parents and caregivers to have the skills they need to regularly serve nutritious foods during pregnancy and to kids through age five. Working with partners on the Western Slope to the Eastern Plains of CO, and many places in between, our team delivers programming throughout the state. Our programs take place at Head Start programs, health centers, community centers, shelters & transitional homes, community food distribution sites and schools. Cooking Matters Colorado leverages a direct education model to influence food systems and food environments that support healthy eating at a community-wide level. Through initiatives like Double Up Food Bucks, a Healthy Food Pantry Resource Guide and food retailer partnerships, we increase access to healthy foods for all Coloradans.

Our Participants

We run our programs with parents and caregivers, especially those with young children ages 0-5. We see the caregivers we work with as experts in their own lives and value their insights. We learn from them as much as they learn from us.

“I am now more aware. I love that I can do these recipes with my kids. I feel great knowing what’s good to buy at the grocery stores. It’s a big step in the right direction for my family and myself. I feel motivated to be healthy and involve my kids. I’m sad to have the course end, but I’m happy to take with me so much knowledge.” – Madeline, Cooking Matters Graduate

Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

Cooking Matters began serving the Denver Metro area in 1994 and now works across the entire state of Colorado. Since 1994, we’ve reached over 100,000 participants in Colorado through our food skills education programs.

For many years, we brought our specialized six-week curricula – for Adults, Parents, and Families – in-person at community-based organizations and with the assistance of community volunteer culinary and nutrition instructors. We also offered our Cooking Matters at the Store program, which teaches adults, mostly parents, how to get the most nutrition for their food dollars, in-person at community-based organizations or local grocery stores and Cooking Matters for Childcare Professionals which addresses the specific needs of child care providers who serve young children.

With the increased safety concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, our approach to programming had to shift. For some time we were unable to offer our in-person programming. Also, while our community volunteers have been a valued part of our programs since Cooking Matters’ inception, we have also paused all volunteer opportunities for the foreseeable future.

Since the Spring of 2019, we have introduced newer, flexible programs, offered online or in-person. These programs still focus on the food skills listed above, but are topic-based and tailored to community-based organizations and parents’ needs. We also continue to offer our Cooking Matters at the Store program online and in-person.

While these changes have altered the Cooking Matters experience, we have noted that offering online opportunities helps caregivers by taking away the need for them to find childcare, transportation, and the extra time to attend a six-week class. Caregivers also get the chance, in some cases, to cook alongside one of our staff facilitators in their own home, using their own tools and space.

Childhood Hunger in CO

Our sister campaign, No Kid Hungry, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting kids in need with nutritious food. No Kid Hungry partners with organizations across the country to help refine their strategies to reach more kids; provide grants to hire staff or purchase things like trucks or refrigerators; or provide technical experts who can help local leaders analyze data and develop new approaches. No Kid Hungry has recently started collaborating with partners to expand the Child and Adult Food Care Programs. Here are some ways you can engage with the No Kid Hungry Campaign:

• Fundraise with No Kid Hungry
• Donate to No Kid Hungry
• Other ways to help

Our Programs

Interested in partnering with us? Learn more about our current program offerings and other resources that you can share with parents in your community.

Program Delivery Options

Online

Online We currently offer online programs through Zoom where one of our staff members facilitates a highly interactive Zoom session. These sessions include cooking demonstrations and are designed to have parents and caregivers sharing their own experiences and expertise. These sessions can be designed to have your clients cooking along with our facilitators in their homes. For more information on our online programs, take a look at our Online Programming Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

In-person

We offer our educational sessions in-person at a partner organization’s site, as we do not have a central location where programming operates. We come to you – to your site’s conference room, to your local farmers’ market, to your staff kitchen – and we lead programs in your community, where partners and participants feel most comfortable. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, please reach out to Cooking Matters Colorado to learn about our current in-person programming offerings.

Our Programs

For parents and caregivers

Kids Say Yes to Fruits & Veggies

Discuss pros and cons of using different forms of fruits and vegetables, how to prepare meals and snacks that help kids eat more fruits and vegetables, and share ideas for helping kids enjoy more fruits and vegetables.

Making Recipes Work For You

Discuss how to substitute ingredients in recipes, practice using recipe frameworks, and share meal ideas that allow each family member to choose the toppings or ingredients that they enjoy.

No More Mealtime Madness

Introduction to the fundamentals of maintaining a basic pantry and discuss ways to involve kids in the meal planning to create more buy-in at mealtime.

Hack Your Snack

This session will share tips for saving time when buying and preparing healthy snacks, practice making healthy, homemade snacks, reading food labels, and identifying healthier choices when choosing prepackaged snacks, and practice comparing unit prices to save money.

The Family Kitchen

Prepare caregivers to work together with kids in their care to discuss safe, age-appropriate tasks for kids in the kitchen, practice preparing meals or snacks with child-friendly steps, and make healthy meals and snacks that everyone will enjoy.

Money-Saver Alert

Discuss how to use everything that you have (or have access to), practice using ‘hard to utilize’ ingredients in a variety of recipes, and discuss how to save foods that you can’t use right away and how to limit food waste with children while still introducing new foods.

Drink To Your Health

Discuss how sugary drinks impact health and describe how to make and taste a variety of healthy beverages at home.

Feeding in the First Year

Discuss infant feeding options including the safe introduction of solid foods, different food preparation methods that can be adapted for infants at different developmental stages, and practice preparing age-appropriate infant foods alongside recipes for the whole family.

Cooking Matters at the Store: Shopping on a Budget

Discuss how to buy fruits and vegetables on a budget, and practice comparing unit prices, reading food labels, and reading ingredient labels to find whole grains.

Our Programs

For Childcare Professionals

Creating Positive Mealtime Attitudes

Positive early childhood experiences surrounding food and the social environment are critical for shaping healthy eating behaviors later in life. In this training, childcare providers will recognize their role in establishing healthy attitudes and behaviors towards food among the children in their care.

Safe Cooking with Confidence

Childcare providers learn to safely prepare more scratch-cooked meals for the children in their care. This training includes an overview of food skills and safety as well as hands-on-meal preparation using Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) approved recipes.

Choosing Healthy Foods for Kids

Childcare providers play a crucial role in ensuring that children in their care get the nutrients they need to grow and be healthy. In this training, providers learn to make smart choices about the foods they serve to kids through hands-on nutrition-based activities.

Meal Appeal

Early childhood is an ideal time to instill an appreciation for consuming a variety of healthy foods. In this training, providers will take part in hands-on activities that will show them various ways to encourage acceptance of healthy foods among children in their care.

Menu Management on a Budget

In this training, providers will discuss menu planning and shopping strategies they can use to make the most of their food dollars.

Partnering with Parents on Healthy Eating

Children are more likely to learn healthy eating behaviors when they receive similar messages at home, in school or child care, and in the community. This training provides tips and tools for communicating with parents and staff about best practices for feeding children and how to sustain those practices through setting healthy food policies.

Other Educational Materials

We are excited to share a compilation of resources that are educational, fun, and can also be used to share information about Cooking Matters’ free online programs. The resources include a variety of flyers/images with “bite-sized nuggets” of food skills education information. They can be printed and shared with clients, posted to social media, and used to get the word out about additional Cooking Matters learning opportunities.

Healthy Food Pantry Resource Guide

The new Cooking Matters Healthy Pantry Resource Guide is a compilation of resources intended to guide staff and volunteers at food banks and pantries who seek to introduce changes to facilitate and encourage healthy food choices. Our goal in creating this resource was to highlight the abundant tools, resources, and research available for food banks and pantries interested in making healthy choices more easily accessible.

Resources in this guide range from assessment tools for evaluating various components of a food bank or pantry, to how-to guides for implementing a client choice model. Whether a small, school-based food pantry, or a well-established regional food bank, this Resource Guide provides actionable tools and resources for encouraging a healthy food environment.

Legacy Six-week Courses

Our current COVID-19 protocols do not allow us to offer our six-week courses. We will add more information about this offering when it becomes available again. Thank you for your understanding.