Our Bureau of Nutrition and Physical Activity just completed a series of free cooking-based nutrition trainings for childcare providers in Arizona.  The Cooking Matters curriculum from Share our Strength, as part of the Wal-Mart Foundation Health Initiatives, gives childcare providers the opportunity to learn how to prepare healthy meals and snacks on a limited budget and create a positive food environment for the children in their care.  The hands-on trainings are engaging and learner-focused while empowering providers to recognize their role in establishing healthy attitudes and behaviors towards food.

As a result of their participation, they’ll develop confidence in cooking and preparing meals and making smart choices about foods.  They’ll be able use these strategies to increase kids’ acceptance of healthy foods and maximize their food resources.  These free trainings directly align with our successful Empower program and new childcare rules.  This is a great example of leveraging resources and working across departments and programs within ADHS for a healthier Arizona.  Check out the pictures on the Flickr.

Well done and thanks to Adrienne Udarbe and Saidee White for their work on the demonstrations and implementation of the piloting of the curriculum, Helen Uganst in Child Care, who coordinated and recruited the participants, and Hazel Valdez who did the first two food demos as her externship for the Culinary Arts Program.