From Garden to Table, Children Grow, Cook, and Thrive.
Garden to Table Academy connects children ages 7 to 14 with the full journey of their food, from the soil beneath our feet to the meals on our plates, through garden exploration, hands-on cooking, and lessons in lifelong health.
8
Weeks of hands-on learning
3
Learning pillars, every single class
7 - 14
Years old, our growing chefs
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Know More About Us
Rooted in Food Becomes U, grown for the next generation.
Garden to Table Academy grew out of Food Becomes U’s mission to help people build a joyful, lasting relationship with food, starting earlier this time. Founded by Cass Hector, a Public Health Nutritionist and food literacy educator, our approach brings the same whole-person philosophy that guides our work with adults into a hands-on program built just for children. We believe healthy habits take root early, and that kids who understand where their food comes from grow into adults who know how to care for themselves. Every lesson, every recipe, and every garden discovery is designed with that belief in mind.
How We Support Every Family
Care that grows with every child.
Every child grows differently, and so does what they need from us. Garden to Table Academy is built to adapt around each child and family, so support never feels one-size-fits-all.
Dietary & Allergy Accommodations
Every recipe can be adapted for common allergies, vegan, and plant-based diets, built into the program from week one, not an afterthought.
Flexible Scheduling for Schools & Groups
Sessions adapt to fit school days, after-school programs, or community calendars, so the program moves to wherever children already are.
Every lesson includes
Three experiences, woven into every class.
Each class is built around three learning experiences that help children understand the complete journey of food, from the soil beneath our feet to the meals on our plates.
Garden Discovery
Children explore how healthy soil, plants, insects, and nature work together to grow nutritious food.
Hands-On Cooking
Young chefs prepare a healthy recipe while learning essential kitchen safety, cooking techniques, teamwork, and confidence.
Food for Health
Together we discover how the ingredients in each recipe nourish the body, support healthy growth, and build lifelong healthy eating habits.
The 8-Week Journey ( ⓘ SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Watch the whole story grow, one week at a time.
Every week builds on the last, from what’s in the soil to what’s on the plate.
Week 1
All the Dirt on Soil
Healthy food begins with healthy soil. Children discover why living soil is the foundation of nutritious food, learn about the organisms that live beneath our feet, and prepare a delicious recipe while exploring how healthy soil influences the nutrients found in the foods we eat.
Week 2
Taste Your Way to Nutrition: The Botany on Your Plate
Children investigate the amazing plants we eat by identifying roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Through hands-on cooking they discover that every part of a plant offers unique flavors, textures, and health benefits.
Week 3
Fresh Herb Baked Meatballs
Vegan option available
Using freshly harvested oregano and other herbs, children prepare baked meatballs with roasted tomatoes and melted cheese. Along the way they learn how herbs add flavor naturally while providing vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds.
Week 4
The Science of the Phytonutrient Plate
Children create their own colorful salad while discovering why eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is important. They learn how colorful plant foods contain natural compounds called phytonutrients that help protect and strengthen the body.
Week 5
The Blue Zone One Pot
Inspired by the world's healthiest communities, children prepare a nourishing one-pot meal while learning how food, family, friendship, movement, and healthy habits work together to support lifelong wellness.
Week 6
Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
Plant-based protein option available
Children prepare a comforting family favorite while exploring the important role protein plays in building muscles, supporting growth, strengthening bones, and helping the body stay healthy.
Week 7
Carrot Pancakes with Blueberries
Children make wholesome carrot pancakes topped with fresh blueberries while learning why colorful fruits and vegetables are important for brain health, memory, learning, and concentration.
Week 8
Black Bean Burritos
Our final class celebrates everything we have learned. Children prepare delicious black bean burritos while discovering how fiber supports digestion, feeds the healthy bacteria in our gut, and promotes a healthy microbiome for lifelong wellness.
Bonus
Move, Stretch & Grow
Children explore fun yoga poses, gentle stretching, and mindful breathing while learning how movement supports strength, flexibility, balance, and overall well-being. The session encourages confidence, focus, and healthy habits they can practice every day.
Bonus
Move, Stretch & Grow
Children explore fun yoga poses, gentle stretching, and mindful breathing while learning how movement supports strength, flexibility, balance, and overall well-being. The session encourages confidence, focus, and healthy habits they can practice every day.
What children gain
Skills that outlast the eight weeks.
Every session is designed to leave children with something they carry home, into the next meal, and into the next season of their lives.
01
Kitchen Confidence
Real cooking technique and kitchen safety, practiced hands-on every week.
02
Nutrition Literacy
An understanding of how real food nourishes the body, not just a list of rules.
03
Connection to Nature
A grounded understanding of where food comes from, from soil to seed to plate.
04
Lifelong Habits
Healthy patterns practiced early and often, built to last well beyond the program.
For schools, organizations & families
A program built to bring into your community.
Garden to Table Academy is designed to fit into schools, learning pods, and community organizations, giving children ages 7 to 14 a structured, standards-aligned path from garden to kitchen to lifelong health.
- Ready to run, week by weekEight fully developed lessons, each with a recipe, garden lesson, and health concept.
- Inclusive by designVegan and plant-based options built into recipes from week one.
- Rooted in real outcomesEvery class connects directly to a health concept children can carry home.
Get started
Bring Garden to Table Academy to your community.
Whether you’re a parent, a school, or a funding partner, tell us a bit about your interest and we’ll follow up with program details.
- Full curriculum overview, week by week
- Program requirements and scheduling options
- No obligation to enroll or commit
Ready to help your child grow beyond the classroom?
Give your child the confidence to grow food, cook healthy meals, and understand how nutrition supports lifelong wellbeing. Join the next Garden to Table Academy program today.