Cooking Maine Foods from the Ground Up logo

 

Proper nutrition for children is very important because food choices that are moderate, balanced, and varied can help prevent illness and disease, both now and in the future. Proper nutrition is also important to help prevent childhood obesity as well as future chronic disease.

Cooking with children can be a fun and exciting experience. Research indicates that when children use foods they have helped to grow and/or prepare, they are more likely to make healthier food choices and this tendency lasts into adulthood.

Cooking Maine Foods from the Ground Up (CMFFGU), is designed for use with 3rd and 4th grades. It may be modified for other grade levels (see the note to teachers on page one of the document). The program emphasizes locally grown crops and is intended to encourage students to try new foods by involving them in the cooking process. The lessons are designed to help students become more familiar with Maine dairy and agricultural products, and include composting activities as an integral part of the food cycle.

The Maine-ly Nutrition and Take Time! School Program will be sending out a Survey Monkey at the end of the school year to evaluate the usefulness of Cooking Maine Foods From the Ground Up (CMFFGU).

To those of you who will use this resource, your feedback will be valuable to us, and we are anxious to receive your comments about CMFFGU so we can better serve you.

This program has been aligned with the Maine Learning results for 3rd and 4th grades.

Here is the complete program in .pdf form:  "Cooking Maine Foods from the Ground Up" Program  
**Caution! This is a very large document. You may prefer to download sections separately as provided below.**


    • Useful Instructions in Preparation for Cooking
    • Safety Rules
    • Suggested Sanitation Activities
    • Equipment

    • Background Information on Composting
    • Lessons from the Farm – Compost
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – Fresh Layered Salad
    • Compost Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Composting
    • Worm Anatomy
    • How to Start a Compost Bin
    • Resources for Worms and Composting
    • How to Use the Mini-Lessons with the Curriculum
    • Compost Mini-Lessons
    • Compost Quiz

  • Cranberry Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Cranberries
    • Lessons from the Farm – Cranberries
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe - Cranberry Pear Crisp
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Cranberries
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Cranberries
    • Cranberry Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Cranberries
    • Cranberry Challenge Sheet
    • Cranberry Word Search

  • Wild Blueberry Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Wild Blueberries
    • Lessons from the Farm – Wild Blueberries
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe - Wild Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Wild Blueberries
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Blueberries
    • Blueberry Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Blueberries
    • Wild Blueberry Challenge Sheet
    • Blueberry Word Search
    • Additional Wild Blueberry Pancake Recipe

  • Strawberry Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Strawberries
    • Lessons from the Farm – Strawberries
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe - Winter Strawberry Muffins
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Strawberries
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Strawberries
    • Strawberry Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Strawberries
    • Strawberry Challenge Sheet
    • Strawberry Word Search

  • Apple Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Apples
    • Lessons from the Farm – Apples
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – Apple Brown Betty
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Apples
    • Characteristics of some leading varieties of apples
    • Applesauce recipe
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Apples
    • Apple Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Apple
    • Apple Challenge Sheet

  • Dairy Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Dairy
    • Lessons from the Farm – Milk
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe - Dairy Fruit Smoothie
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Milk
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Milk
    • Milk Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Milk
    • Dairy Challenge Sheet

  • Spinach Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Spinach
    • Lessons from the Farm – Spinach
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe -Spinach Wrap-Ups
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Spinach
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Spinach
    • Spinach Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Spinach
    • Spinach Challenge Sheet
    • Spinach Word Search

  • Oat Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Oats
    • Lessons from the Farm – Oats
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – Granola
    • Nutrition Science Lesson – Oats
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Oats
    • Oat Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Oats
    • Oats Challenge Sheet
    • Additional Oat Recipes

  • Buckwheat Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Buckwheat
    • Lessons from the Farm – Buckwheat
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe -Buckwheat Ployes
    • Nutrition Lesson – Buckwheat
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Buckwheat
    • Buckwheat Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Buckwheat
    • Buckwheat Challenge Sheet

  • Broccoli Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Broccoli
    • Lessons from the Farm – Broccoli
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe -Broccoli-Cheese Soup
    • Nutrition Lesson – Broccoli
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Broccoli
    • Broccoli Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Broccoli
    • Broccoli Challenge Sheet
    • Broccoli Crossword Puzzle
    • Additional Broccoli Recipes

  • Potato Lesson

    • This section contains:

    • Background Information on Potatoes
    • Lessons from the Farm – Potatoes
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – Potato Planks
    • Nutrition Lesson – Potatoes
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Potato
    • Potato Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Potato
    • Potato Challenge Sheet
    • Potato Word Search
    • Parts of a Potato
    • Potato Crossword Puzzle

  • Squash Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Squash
    • Lessons from the Farm – Squash
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – Winter Squash Casserole
    • Nutrition Lesson – Squash
    • Global and Regional Mapping Squash
    • Squash Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Squash
    • Squash Word Scramble
    • Squash Challenge Sheet
    • Additional Squash Recipes

  • Mixed Vegetables Lesson

    This section contains:

    • Background Information on Mixed Vegetables
    • Lessons from the Farm – Mixed Vegetables
    • Materials and Preparation
    • Classroom Recipe – No-Bake Veggie Pizza
    • Nutrition Lesson – Mixed Vegetables
    • Global and Regional Mapping – Mixed Vegetables
    • Mixed Vegetable Fact Sheet
    • Writing Ideas – Mixed Vegetables
    • Mixed Vegetable Challenge Sheet
    • Additional Mixed Vegetable Recipes

  • Answer Keys

    This section contains:

    • Compost Quiz Key
    • Cranberry Word Search
    • Blueberry Word Search
    • Strawberry Word Search
    • Spinach Word Search
    • Broccoli Crossword Puzzle
    • Potato Word Search
    • Potato Crossword Puzzle
    • Squash Word Scramble
    • Worm Anatomy Blank Worksheet

  • References

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For further information contact Mary Ann Bennett at: mbennett@usm.maine.edu