Participant Best of All – Katherine’s GiGi’s Teen Kitchen Success

Katherine takes kitchen home!

It is our hope that our programs will inspire our participants to take action outside of the Playhouse. Whether it be reading that next word, signing that new word, squatting deeper in fitness or trying that new food, we love to celebrate those Best of All moments!

A parent just shared one of these special Best of All moment with us. Her daughter, Katherine, participates in GiGi’s Teen Kitchen and absolutely loves cooking and trying new foods.

GiGi’s Kitchen Teen is designed to emphasize the importance of health and wellness through nutrition education, kitchen safety, food preparation, social activities and a shared meal/snack. Under the guidance of program leaders, participants learn about and progress through skills including measurements, food handling, knife skills, ingredient identification, palate expansion, and nutrition. Participants are introduced to various cooking techniques. The GiGi’s Kitchen Teen program builds participants self-esteem and self-confidence through nutrition and wellness!

Another goal area of GiGi’s Kitchen is to incorporate simple step by step recipes, in healthier versions. During each session we encourage participants to come up with their favorite meal ideas. Not only does this encourage thought but gives volunteers an idea of what participants like. Once a meal is voted on, we focus on ways to make it healthier. This can be done by asking participants to put their thinking caps on and share more ways to make that meal a healthier option. Encouraging participants to be involved in that decision process hopefully will encourage them to want to make this meal at home. That sense of pride can be such an amazing feeling.

Well they hit a home run during the last GiGi’s Teen Kitchen, as they made taco cups with ground turkey and veggies. Katherine loved them so much that she made them at home with the guidance of her family and her GiGi’s take home participant recipe packet.

If you would like to try this delicious recipe follow the recipe below:

If you are a teen or adult participant and are interested in learning about more about kitchen please contact us for availability: sandiego@gigisplayhouse.org