We offer a variety of hands-on educational opportunities for low-income community members. The Nutrition Education program is designed to address root causes of hunger by sharing knowledge for healthy living and teaching skills for self-sufficiency. For more information of each of our classes and to register, please contact our Nutrition Education team here at Clark County Food Bank.
Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters curriculum is a cooking and nutrition curriculum developed and taught nationally. Class series run for 6 weeks and throughout the series participants learn about healthy eating, food budgeting, strategies for grocery shopping and meal planning, food safety, and basic cooking skills. By the end of the class series, participants are confident in their ability to shop for healthy foods on a budget and prepare healthy, affordable, home cooked meals leading to an increase in food security and self-sufficiency.
Cooking Matters classes are offered at CCFB in both English and Spanish through community partnerships and are offered at various kitchen spaces throughout Clark County.
Cooking Matters™ at the Store
Cooking Matters at the Store is a one-time grocery store tour covering the basics of eating healthy on a budget. Participants meet at a local grocery store and walk through the store aisles with an educator who shares information on making healthy choices when shopping, grocery shopping on a budget, and meal planning.
Student Nutrition and Cooking (SNAC)
SNAC is a cooking and nutrition program specifically designed for middle school students. Through activities and hands-on recipe preparation, teens learn the basics of healthy eating that is both affordable and delicious. This program aims to increase confidence in the kitchen and equip teens with valuable life skills for independence and healthy eating.
SNAC classes at CCFB are offered through Vancouver and Evergreen Middle Schools, Partner Agencies, and teen centers.
Healthy Pantry Project
This program is a collaboration of our partner agencies with the goal of encouraging food box clients to make healthy, budget-friendly choices while shopping at the pantry and cooking at home. Activities include: facilitation of tastings for food box clients to encourage use of unfamiliar foods, assisting with recipe development and distribution, and leading training sessions for pantry volunteers.
Growing Healthy Futures (GHF)
GHF is a program to embed life-changing habits for children and families through nutrition and garden education. GHF is a collaboration with Education Opportunities for Children and Families and WSU Extension and is currently being piloted at three Clark County Head Start locations. The program includes hands-on activities and covers topics such as basic cooking skills, preparing balanced meals, shopping on a budget, and garden education.
Seed to Supper
Seed to Supper is a comprehensive six-week beginning gardening course that gives novice adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Seed to Supper is offered in collaboration with host agencies throughout Clark County and is available in English and Spanish.