By JENNIFER BAILEY / Staff Writer

HOOVER – St. Vincent’s One Nineteen finished its first Thyme to Cook for Kids of the summer on June 19. The theme for this program was “Around the World in Five Days.”

This session, there were nineteen children enrolled to learn about the cultures and foods from counties like China, Mexico, Brazil, France and Greece.

The kids cooked several different foods including vegetable sushi, fajita style quesadillas, grilled pineapple, crisp stir-fried collard greens, crepes, Souvlaki (pork skewers) and many more.

Donna Sibley RDN, LD said that the kids are “all about it.” She went on to say that they “love the cooking part, but when it comes to eating it they are sometimes more reserved.”

Sibley said the children are more likely to eat something that they wouldn’t usually eat if they had a part in preparing it. The kids took a hands-on approach to learning about different equipment and safety in the kitchen. “They love to chop,” said Sibley.

Carson Hape, a first time participant in Thyme to Cook for Kids, said that he really enjoyed “making a lot of food.” His favorite food that they cooked during the program was the grilled pineapples.

Another participant, Ella Grace Wheeler, said that her favorite part of Thyme to Cook for Kids was getting to cook with her friends. Her favorite food from the week was called Feijoada Completa. It is a pork and black bean stew from Brazil.

“The skills that the children learn through this program can be used for a lifetime,” said Sibley.

Through learning about the different foods, the staff at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen hopes that the children will learn and start healthy habits early on.

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is offering several other cooking classes this summer and throughout the year. This summers classes include another “Thyme to Cook for Kids” session for children ages 10-12, two “From Farm to Fork” sessions and a “Thyme to Cook for Teens” session.

For more information on these programs, or to register, call 408-6550. Applications are available at the St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Wellness desk or on Onenineteen.com.