Culinary and Garden Education PS 17 (Astoria)

Cooking is a valuable life skill known to increase math skills, build self esteem, and much more! The Allergic to Salad curriculum is STEM based and seasonally inspired. Students learn about nutritional value and the importance of eating healthy in a hands on setting.

P.S. 17 in Astoria, Queens, wants to build out their TWO school gardens. They will be partnering with Allergic to Salad to bring in culinary and garden education to all their students, while connecting the garden to local partners in the community.

Neighborhood restaurants and like-partners will serve as the base of our funding. Each restaurant partner will offer a Master Chef's class FREE OF CHARGE to the school community. The dish inspired by our students will then appear on the restaurant's menu for up to a month following the class, with proceeds returning to fund our ongoing, in school program. We will hold a class and fundraiser at one restaurant per month until we reach our goal!

Once we have achieved our fundraising goals, Allergic to Salad will purchase equipment for the school and kick off an ongoing program of culinary classes for the spring semester, led by a trained ATS educator.

Garden and Culinary Classes:

• Be offered to all first and second graders once a week.

• Serve a total of 220 students.

• Focus on healthy and seasonally based eating.

• Introduce nutrition, including caloric intake and reading labels.

School Garden Support: 

• Establish a School Garden Committee for sustainable development of the garden.
• Garden infrastructure updates for their two garden sites. 
• Provide classroom and garden-based curriculum. 

Family Support:

• Offered school-wide.

• Community-building culinary and garden events.

• Include nutrition education and tips to bring kids to the kitchen and eating better.

All students will

• Develop motor skills and recipe literacy.

• Learn about nutritional value and seasonal eating in a hands on setting.

• Share these skills with siblings, parents and faculty through an annual family cook night.

Allergic to Salad will continue to work with the school, local  and local restaurants to create a sustainable, ongoing, in-school program for PS 17.

Empowering the youth among us is the key to creating a sustainable future for everyone. Rates of obesity and diabetes, both diet-related preventable diseases are high in New York City at large.

We can address these health challenges by educating youth about the empowering possibilities of a healthy diet. Allergic to Salad provides engaging and hands on culinary education to youth in local schools, in partnership with local restaurants. This program strengthens community bonds and empowers youth to make healthy choices and take charge of their own futures!