CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California collaborated with Children's Storybook Garden & Museum in Kings County to engage twenty-two 4th-grade classes from Hanford Elementary School District in fun, educational, and interactive activities about day-to-day life during the 1800s.

The students learned about a variety of cooking tools, including tools used to make butter, grind the coffee, grind corn, and among others. Nutrition Educators, Sue Lafferty and Eldon Bueno prepared a bread-making activity station to engage students on how to make fresh bread rolls from scratch. The recipe consisted of white and wheat flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, milk, and butter. Each student learned to knead the dough until it was smooth and elastic. You could see the excitement in their faces as they shaped their dough into perfect rolls to which they added melted butter and a sprinkle of oats for a burst of flavor. Teachers and students were amazed by the hard work involved in making the bread, one teacher shared, “This is a great way to learn about how people lived and cooked in the 1800s. Today we take for granted how easy it is to buy bread at the store.” Furthermore, students learned that bread is part of the grains group on MyPlate which provides them with carbohydrates that turn into energy! 

The best part of the activity was watching eager students enjoy their freshly baked bread. In fact, one student shared, “the bread we made was good, I want to make it at home with my parents!” Cooking activities can be fun and educational, and it gives students the opportunity to use their math and reading skills outside the classroom. In addition, they learn the importance of teamwork, effective communication skills and above all, they learn to try new foods.