Kids Classes at Whole Foods in Dublin, OH

I’ve been wanting to check out the kids classes Dublin Whole Foods offers for sometime now. Finally, we got the chance and attended Kids in the Garden. We made healthy oatmeal and flax seed cookies, took a tour of Children’s Patio Garden, and had a snack. All for free! The class was located in the Salud! Cooking School (classroom to the left of produce upon entering the store) and lasted about an hour. I was impressed with how patient and kid-focused the instructor was, and we got sent home with bean sprout seeds to continue our “how to grow food” education at home.

There were about 12 kids in the class, and all of them got a chance to help. Children measured, mashed bananas, and mixed up cookie dough that eventually went into the oven for a snack. While the cookies were baking, the class headed out to the Children’s Patio Garden. A previous kids class planted squash, eggplant, beans, tomatoes and various herbs for use by the Salud! cooking instructors. We received the honor of picking some fine eggplants and were given a tutorial on how to cross-fertilize zucchini squash (now I don’t have to fret over the lack of bees in my yard). Heading back inside because cookie aroma was filling the air, we sat down for a snack of fruit, cookies, and a nice choice of milk or juice.

Whole Foods offers an array of kids classes, which all seem educational and fun, and many are free. In the Kids Klub classes, children get to do some funky art such as painting with vegetables. Artwork is displayed on the floor for the community to admire. Half Pint Cooking Classes teach children ages 3 – 12 how to cook and are free. Half Pints takes place the first Tuesday every month and is generally around 4:00 p.m. (check the Whole Foods site for times and details on class focus). Whole Foods cooking classes teach children about good nutrition, good food choices, and good environmental choices (recycling, composting, etc.). Other kid-friendly classes are offered, just check their website for dates, times, and cost.