Out of the Box Program Building Kitchens

LCCAA Head Start Nutrition Staff members use their unique Out of the Box cooking demonstrations to expand families’ cooking skills and their kitchen equipment.

The increasingly popular series features a video demonstration shared by Zoom. Those who register and attend then receive a box of ingredients to make the recipe at home. The boxes also include various pieces of kitchen equipment that would be useful in making the recipes.

“We do hope we’re helping build your kitchens,” Food Service Manager Melinda Gray said during a recent event.

Items that have been sent home include measuring spoons, pizza cutters, casserole dishes, stock pots and more.

The video demonstrations feature Head Start Chef Luis Aguilar and Dietician Marge Robison from our partner Pisanick Partners. Aguilar often discusses knife skills and other cooking techniques while also letting families know what to expect at each stage of the recipe. Robison shares different ways to customize the recipe as well as nutritional and budgetary information.

Most recently, the staff demonstrated a homemade baked macaroni and cheese which does not contain the many dyes and other artificial additives found in commercial macaroni and cheese mixes.

“When you make it homemade it’s much healthier and tastes better,” Robison said.

A demonstration last fall included a no-knead bread which Robison said cost only 30 cents a loaf. All recipes are designed to be friendly to children’s tastes and to allow kids to help with at least some of the steps.

“We really want to empower families to take control of their health and nutrition by learning new recipes and skills,” Gray added. “We’re proud and thrilled that these events have been so popular.”

Recipes from the Out of the Box cooking series and other Head Start nutrition events are available on our website.

Out of the Box Equipment

Food processor

Stock pot

Mixing bowl

Measuring spoons

Glass baking dish

Mason jars

Muffin tin

Saucepan

Baking sheet

Pizza pan

Pizza cutter

Knives