FAYETTEVILLE — Nine-year-old Will Bratton hung on every word chef Tuesday Eastlack said during a cooking demonstration at Owl Creek School Monday night.
He asked questions, answered questions and was called upon to assist Eastlack in the preparation of a dessert during her demonstration.
A third-grader at the school, Will said he likes to cook and has made such dishes such as stuffed cherry tomatoes and baked carrots.
Monday night, it was about healthy and economical cooking to help parents make better food choices for their families. The program, Healthy Cooking on a Budget, was a partnership between Apple Seeds Inc. and the Fayetteville School District. Apple Seeds is a nonprofit education organization to promote healthy eating habits among elementary school-age children.
More than 140 teachers, parents and children were on hand to sample cheese and nut loaf, made with brown rice; baked squash; braised kale; and coconut encrusted bananas for dessert. Eastlack, a culinary instructor at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, demonstrated the preparation of each dish while three students were behind the scenes, preparing the same food for participants to sample.
A similar cooking class was held last month at Leverett Elementary School. More classes are scheduled at Root and Asbell elementary schools in April and May.
Will said his cooking skill comes from watching food shows on television, his favorite being, “Good Eats,” hosted by Alton Brown on the Food Network.
“Believe it or not, it’s mostly strategy,” Will said.
Mark Palmer, flanked by two of his three children, said he was interested in learning more about healthy cooking.
“We don’t have to have white bread all the time,” he said. “We cook a lot as a family.”
After listening to the demonstration, Palmer said he would try some of the preparation tips at home, particularly the braised kale with fresh ginger and garlic.
Keeli Pfeiffer sat between her two children as they tried the different foods.
“I have never tried kale and wouldn’t have thought about it,” she said, until sampling the dish.
Lisa Richardson, an Owl Creek teacher, said she considered herself a healthy cook but enjoyed learning about different grains, healthy vegetables and braising as a form of preparation.
The series of cooking classes is funded by a $10,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Education to encourage community-based partnerships to promote healthy eating and to reduce obesity among school children, said Jeri Clark, grant coordinator with the education department. Some 28 grants are funded across the state with money from the tobacco excise tax.