Cooking & Conversations: Independence
13-14 week program consisting of 13-14 sessions, held once weekly from 4:30-6pm.
What the program about:
Cooking for independence is a hands-on group designed to help adolescents and teens build independence, life skills, and confidence in the kitchen while strengthening social interaction with peers. Building on foundational skills, participants take on more complex tasks such as preparing full meals, following multi-step recipes, and working more independently.
In a supportive, structured environment, participants are encouraged to take ownership of their cooking, make decisions, and collaborate with peers—helping them grow both their confidence and real-world skills.
What will my child learn?
Participants will build advanced cooking, independence, and social skills, including:
Following multi-step recipes – reading and completing written recipes with increasing independence
Meal preparation – preparing full, simple meals from start to finish
Kitchen safety and hygiene – applying safe practices when using appliances and handling food
Food awareness – identifying expiration and best-before dates and understanding food safety
Basic nutrition – learning about balanced meals and making healthier food choices
Grocery and budgeting skills – planning meals, creating simple shopping lists, and understanding basic budgeting concepts
Time management and planning – organizing steps, managing time, and completing tasks efficiently
Teamwork and collaboration – working together with peers during group cooking activities
Social communication – engaging in conversation, problem-solving, and cooperative interaction in a kitchen setting
Confidence and independence – building the skills needed to participate more independently in daily living tasks
Please let us know if you have any further questions or if you would like to register