Nutrition Programming with Charette High School + CHOP

In part 2 of our series on culturally relevant nutrition part of a larger series on wellness, 9th graders from Charette High School were able to apply the foundational nutrition lessons learned in the classroom to making fajitas in the kitchen. As many students in the class come from a Latine background, Chef Marta chose fajitas as a culturally-relevant, cost-effective, nutrient-dense, and simple meal that was most definitely a crowd pleaser.

For many students, this was their first time cooking a meal from start to finish. The tangible lessons learned and delicious meal made sparked a great deal of joy and sense of accomplishment in many. The primary purpose of this 2-part series was to center the role of nutrition in positive mental health and the mind-body connection. Students learned how nutrition and meeting physiological needs are associated with mental wellbeing, what makes food nutritious (macronutrients and where to get them), how our cultures and backgrounds impact what and how we eat, how to shop for nutritious food on a budget, and of course how to make these delicious fajitas to tie it all together. A special thank you to Chef Marta for her leadership in the kitchen, Chef Josh for providing the opportunity, and Charette High School for allowing us to work with students on this Wellness Series.