06/02/2026
This week in the kitchen, students at made Buddha Bowls 🌈
Before every cooking lesson, we begin in a circle. We talk about the skills we’re practising and introduce new ingredients, grounding the lesson with intention before we cook. This week, we started with some Nutrition 101.
I drew a plate on the board and divided it into 3 sections with question marks for them to fill in — half the plate for veggies, quarter for grains and the other for protein.
It set up the conversation beautifully. Kids love to share what they know, and it alsoallowed me to assess how much information to share without overwhelming them—striking the fine balance between educational and fun!
Our younger students (Reception & Grade 1) surprised me by calling out words like “rainbow” and “pyramid,” showing early understanding of healthy eating concepts. Older students (Grades 4 & 5) began listing familiar protein sources like beef and chicken, then thoughtfully expanded to include sources like tofu and beans.
To promote autonomy and positive decision-making around food, we created a Buddha Bowl bar, lining up all the ingredients for them to pick and choose from. Students served themselves, explored variety, and tuned into their own hunger cues. Many returned for seconds and thirds—happily eating colourful vegetables and discovering new foods like quinoa in a relaxed, supportive environment.
For parents: experiences like this help children build lifelong skills—nutritional awareness, confidence in food choices, and openness to new flavours—without pressure, labels, or fear.
For our school community: cooking lessons align with broader learning goals by integrating health education, autonomy, communication, and real-world life skills into a hands-on, student-led experience.
The kitchen can feel chaotic at times, but these formative moments matter. When children are given space to explore with their senses and curiosity, food becomes something to understand, enjoy, and respect.
Reach out to the .hk or myself if you’re a school interested in setting up intra-curricular cooking programs!
