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Community Food Security > Ethnic American Treasures: EAT From the Garden

"Fostering positive youth and adult experiences using fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden"

EAT from the Garden is an innovative approach to address the hunger, food security, and nutritional needs of individuals in Sacramento. This free program focuses on youth empowerment so that they can make healthier decisions in their lives by helping them draw the connections between the food system and human health. Youth from local high and middle schools go through a series of nutrition education lessons starting with a garden practical which allows youth to learn how to identify, harvest, clean, prepare, and cook seasonal vegetables that they collectively gather and turn into a delicious meal inside the kitchen. Through hands on experiential cooking in teams, youth gain valuable skills that support positive social development.

Links:
*History
*Services - Provided by EAT from the Garden
*Workshops - Schedule of monthly community health and wellness classes
*Coming soon: Program types and information
*Recipes
*Testimonials
-Interns / Volunteers
-From the community

EAT from the Garden Objectives:

Given culturally relevant cooking and nutrition education materials, resources, and recipes individuals will be able to develop personalized healthy eating habits.

Given adequate training recipients will increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, identify more plants, and demonstrate understanding of healthy meal preparation.

EAT from the Garden Goals:

Each participant will learn how to identify diverse fruit and vegetable plants.

Increase knowledge about benefits of eating plant based nutrients for better health.

Through sensory education participants will experience how to prepare seasonal healthy meals using garden produce.

Increase knowledge of healthy food options through various nutrition lessons and activities.

Reduce the risks of preventable chronic diseases caused by unhealthy dietary habits such as: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

History of EAT from the Garden:
Since our inception in 1991 broad based nutrition and food security programs have become a cornerstone of our efforts. Our school-based nutrition programs have focused on changing school food environments, increasing healthy foods, fresh produce, and training youth to advocate for a healthier school environment. EAT from the Garden, is a collaborative program with Grant's Environmental Organization (GEO) Academy at Grant High School that provides year round hands on nutrition, gardening and cooking opportunities for high school students, teaching young people how to grow and prepare healthy meals as well as nutrition education training to reduce childhood obesity.

In 2005, the Health Education Council initiated a partnership with Grant Union High School's GEO Environmental Science and Design Academy (GEO Academy). The partnership provides vital resources, health education promotion, staff and funding to support a majority of the EAT from the Garden activities including. EAT from the Garden program teaches: sustainable agriculture, demonstrates nutritional meal preparation through team cooking, advises and engages dialogue with youth on healthy lifestyle habits, empowers youth to become better informed decision makers, and advocacy for nutrient-dense, quality food choices in the students' neighborhoods.

In the summer of 2007 Grant High School staff and HEC received funding from Kaiser Permanente for a full scale, 4-station cooking facility to teach students and community members the best practices for healthy cooking. Since the construction of this community kitchen in 2008, the resources developed have enhance the quality of education for youth by providing synergistic learning opportunities in nutrition, cooking, life skills, leadership training, and expanded garden education. To date over 300 youth are served annually in the EAT from the Garden program.