Our Impact
Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.
We know Cooking Matters works from the stories of change we hear from participants – and from the hard data we gather from our course leaders. We use this data to assess our impact, share what’s working best, and expand and improve our programs.
Highlights of Cooking Matters’ 2010 program year include:
- 89% of Cooking Matters for Adults graduates improved their cooking skills, which means they’re better equipped to make healthy meals for their families at home.
- 97% of kids who graduate from Cooking Matters for Families enjoyed cooking alongside their parents during class, an important element in continuing to prepare and eat healthy meals together as a family.
- After graduating from Cooking Matters for Teens, 67% of teens are eating more fruits and 50% are eating more vegetables.
Find complete results in the Cooking Matters Annual Review. It consolidates survey results from Cooking Matters participants who report their eating habits, food safety practices and food shopping and budgeting behaviors before and after completing a course.
