Since 1992 CITY FARE in Hartford CT’s South Green neighborhood has had as a priority the well being of children as regards their access & experiences with food. Eating Healthy For Kids has evolved out of this mission. Before a child can be taught to eat well the parent or guardian must have this as a priority for themselves.

Through the years we have developed a tried and true curriculum based on four key components, nutrition, hygiene both personal & environmental, kitchen safety & kitchen skills. Each lesson is built around these four main supports and reinforced with whatever academic criteria is pertinent to the lesson of the day; history, geography, science, mathematics, languages, etc. There is never any dumbing down of the information, whether it is the historic economics and environmental impact of a food source, ie: wheat, and the effect it has had on social, cultural & industrial evolution, or the techniques of achieving the desired end products.

One of the favorite lessons for the children has been an exercise in knife skills and safety. When they are presented with a 7” French knife, and discuss in depth the structure, handling and use of not only this particular knife but of any knife. They are then asked to stand and make a circle where they pass the knife to one another. Children as young as 6 years of age have performed this exercise successfully.

As we have developed & evolved the CCIC/ Children’s Culinary Institute of Connecticut curriculum over the years, it became clear that adults were just as interested & in need of the lessons and skills as were the children. And so welcome to: Eating Healthy For Kids, it is like the oxygen mask on a plane, put yours on first or you will not be able to help anyone else.

Fran Reale