To encourage and inspire young and at-risk families to integrate healthy food, cooking, and eating together into their lives.
Nutritional research finds that kids who eat regular sit-down dinners with their family take in more fruits and vegetables, and scarf down fewer fried foods and soft drinks when they’re away from home. Providing quick, healthy and cost-effective meals is the ultimate challenge for harried parents. The studies on family meals also go beyond nutrition. Kids who eat together as a family have positive benefits related to school, self-esteem and development.
This committee works with a transitional living apartment community for young adults/parents run by San Diego Youth & Community Services. Take Wing is a transitional living community specifically designed to break the cycle of homelessness for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are on their own (youth under the age of 18 must be legally emancipated from their parents). The goal is to empower these youth with hope through developing their ability to be self-sufficient. Take Wing focuses on teaching homeless teens, teenage moms, young families, and those "aging out" of the foster care system to become independent and productive members of society. JLSD works with parents in the independent living skills training program.
Working with young parents at Take Wing, it is our belief that we can help set a pattern of healthy living. We want to help busy families integrate healthy food, cooking and eating into their lives. In assisting the parents participating in Take Wing with their transition to self-sufficiency, we hope to instill a desire to eat healthy home cooked meals together as a family. We want the parents to recognize that it just as quick, easy and cost-effective to cook a healthy, balanced meal at home than it would to go to a fast-food restaurant.
Activities include conducting cooking/nutrition workshops for young parents involving a series of lessons, recipes and family handouts designed to engage the parents in learning basic cooking skills, nutrition concepts and other key aspects of taste and healthful eating. Since all of the children are under five, the program and activities will also focus on healthy eating for young children.
Take Wing – San Diego Youth & Community Services
Please contact Family Meals in Minutes with any questions.
