The document proposes a cooking classroom to address childhood obesity by promoting healthy eating habits in children. The classroom would resemble a miniature kitchen and allow children to cook simple, nutritious recipes with peers. Studies show introducing children to healthy foods early can influence their preferences long-term. The goal is for children to learn cooking skills while socializing and applying math concepts like measuring. Having a realistic setting may be more effective than parental instruction alone at shaping lifelong healthy eating.

1. Asha Devi
Cognitive Development
Professor Striano
December 12, 2012

2. Childhood Obesity
 Becoming an increasingly common problem in the U.S. and
around the world.
 Can lead to health complications in children (diabetes,
cholesterol, heart disease, blood pressure, etc.)
 Can also lead to poor academic performance (Gable, Krull,
& Chang, 2012).
 Possible causes: poor eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle,
cultural influences, and/or parental upbringing.

3. A Possible Solution…
 Focus on nutrition, and design a cooking classroom for
kids.
 Studies show that if children are introduced to healthy
food choices at an early age, they are more inclined to
familiarize themselves with new foods and make a
habit to eat them (Matheson, Spranger, & Sax, 2002).
 Higher levels of education are associated with
individuals who have a lower BMI (Johnson et al. 2012).

4. Goals of Cooking Classroom…
 The main goals of this cooking classroom are to:
 promote healthy eating habits
 teach children how to cook
 follow simple step by step directions
 use primary math concepts (measuring)
 socialize with peers
 teach table manners
 learn personal responsibilities

5. Features of Classroom
 This classroom will take on the appearance of a
kitchen play set. It will have working appliances so that
children are able to work with real food instead of
plastic food. This makes play and learning more
realistic.

6. Features of Classroom (cont.)
 The classroom will contain:
 Miniature sink
 Miniature refrigerator
 Cupboards
 Ipad holder (to use with cooking app)
 Toddler-size tables and chairs
 Kid-friendly cups, plates and utensils

7. Kid-friendly recipes
 Examples of healthy recipes that kids can make in
class:
 Sandwiches
 Fruit salad
 Frozen yogurt sundae
 Fruit smoothie
 Pizza
 Veggie dippers

8. Why is it a good idea?
 Having a realistic setting allows children to learn and
experience good nutrition, rather than just being
taught by parents.
 Kids feel a sense of independence.
 According to developmental theory, children learn from
their experiences (Matheson, Spranger, & Sax 2002).
 Children prefer to eat foods which they observed other
children eating with a positive expression on their face
as opposed to an adult eating with a positive expression
(Frazier et al. 2012).

9. Why is it a good idea? (cont.)
 Picky eaters can be more open to try new foods when
they see peers eating a particular food.
 “Peers seated at the same table during preschool meals
can shift the food preferences of a target child away from
a previously preferred food, and can influence target
children to try new foods” (Birch, 1980).

10. Other notes:
 The cooking classroom would still be supervised by an
adult/instructor .
 Recipes used in class would require minimal use of the
oven and stove to ensure child safety.
 Children with special needs can be accommodated for.
 A fixed Ipad can be used for recipe apps/timer.

11. References
Frazier, B. N., Gelman, S. A., Kaciroti, N., Russell, J. W., & Lumeng, J. C. (2012). I'll have
what she’s having: The impact of model characteristics on children's food choices.
Developmental Science, 15(1), 87-98.
Gable, S., Krull, J. L., & Chang, Y. (2012). Boys and girls weight status and math
performance from kindergarten entry through fifth grade: A mediated
analysis. Child Development, 83(5), 1822-1839.
Johnson, W., Kyvik, K. O., Skytthe, A., Deary, I. J., & Sorensen, T. A. (2011). Education
modifies genetic and environmental influences on BMI. PLoS ONE, 6(1).
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016290
Matheson, D., Spranger, K., & Saxe, A. (2002). Preschool children's perceptions of food
and their food experience. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 34, 85-
92.