Offered February – March
A Time for Tasting
This series explores different foods as a way to celebrate new flavors and become better acquainted with various tastes (sweet, sour, bitter and umami). Children will have the opportunity to eat foods from Minnesota and around the world, and understand for themselves the delightful – and sometime surprising! – way that different foods can light up our taste buds.
Winter Vegetables – Hardy but Sweet
Children are introduced to a variety of winter vegetables and discuss how these vegetables nourish our bodies during the cold months. We also explore sweet as a taste that can be found in all sorts of foods (especially vegetables!) and isn’t reserved for sugary snacks and fruit. Finally, children have the opportunity to eat a warm winter vegetable stew that we make in class.
Global Fruits – Invigorating with Sour
Explore how new fruits from different climates are introduced to our country! Even the apple was once new. We will take a look at many lesser known and interesting fruits from around the world. Through art and tasting, students will become acquainted with the complex taste of sour, using a variety of tropical and subtropical fruits.
Food Origins – Balancing with Bitter
Children will explore foods that are native to different parts of the world and consider how they made their way to Minnesota. We will get to know bitter by trying foods such as broccoli, dark chocolate, cranberries and more! Children will also develop a taste spectrum to illustrate their unique relationship to bitter foods.
Fantastic Fungi – Finding Umami in Mushrooms
The final lesson explores a fourth, less-known taste called umami and looks more deeply into this taste’s relationship with mushrooms. Children create art, explore other umami-rich foods and will begin to recognize umami for themselves.
Invite us to your school
How can you invite Midwest Food Connection’s natural foods programs into your classroom? Simply contact us via e-mail! Or, you may call and our staff will help you tailor a lesson plan to your students’ needs.
Tell us
- What lesson (or group of lessons) you need.
- When you would like us to come to your classroom.
- How many classrooms are involved.
We schedule four to six weeks out and will take advance reservations as well.
Pricing
- $135 for first lesson
- $95 for each additional program taught on the same day
*Maximum booking: 35 students per program, 6 programs per day
*Additional mileage charges may apply to schools more than 25 miles from Minneapolis’ city center
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding Midwest Food Connection’s programs, curriculum, or fees. Our educators would be happy to assist you in planning your school’s natural foods program.