Cooking Up Literacy One Parfait at a Time
- Alonzo Moore
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
What a wonderful day of learning, laughter, and family fun!
Six amazing families joined us at the Gwinnett County Community Resource Center for a special Cooking Up Literacy experience that combined reading, movement, music, nutrition, and hands-on cooking.
We kicked things off with our upbeat "Stir It Up Together" song, getting everyone moving and excited for the adventure ahead. Families sang along, laughed together, and prepared for a fun-filled hour.
Next came our interactive Reader's Theater, where families met the stars of our Blueberry Chocolate Parfait! Through storytelling and participation, children learned how each ingredient helps our bodies:
🫐 Blueberries help support brain health and contain fiber that supports tummy health.
🍌 Bananas provide energy and potassium to help keep our bodies moving.
🥛 Yogurt contains calcium, protein, and probiotics that support strong bones and a healthy tummy.
🥣 Granola provides whole-grain energy and fiber.
🍫 Chocolate Chips come from the cacao plant and contain antioxidants while adding delicious flavor.
The fun continued as families hopped like blueberries, peeled like bananas, crunched like granola, and melted like chocolate during our interactive movement activity. Children and adults laughed, participated, and learned together as they brought the ingredients to life through movement and imagination.
Next, families worked side by side to create their own Blueberry Chocolate Parfaits. Layer by layer, they added yogurt, blueberries, bananas, granola, and chocolate chips to create a delicious and nutritious treat. As they prepared their parfaits, families learned fun facts about each ingredient and discovered how healthy foods can be both nutritious and enjoyable.
One of the best parts of the experience was seeing children from 2 years old to 12 years old actively engaged throughout the entire event. They eagerly participated in the Reader's Theater, movement activities, singing, and cooking experience. Even more exciting, they demonstrated their understanding of new vocabulary words and nutrition concepts while having fun.
As families left with their parfait cups, other visitors at the Community Resource Center noticed them and became curious. Several people stopped to ask where the delicious parfaits came from and wanted to learn more about the program. It was wonderful to see interest spreading beyond the families who attended.
Another highlight was hearing several families tell us they plan to return in July for our next Cooking Up Literacy event. Knowing that families are excited to come back tells us that we're creating experiences that are meaningful, educational, and fun.
One especially heartwarming moment happened at the end of the event when one of the oldest children came over and simply said, "Thank you." In return, she received a warm hug and a heartfelt thank you for her participation, enthusiasm, and presence with her family. Moments like these remind us why Cooking Up Literacy exists—to create opportunities for families to connect, learn, and grow together.
At Cooking Up Literacy, we believe that learning happens everywhere—including the kitchen. Every recipe tells a story, and every story creates an opportunity to learn.
We are grateful to every family who joined us and helped make this event such a success.
And we're already excited for our next adventure!
📅 Join us on July 11 for our Fruit Face Plate Cooking Experience, where families will continue to read, learn, cook, create, and have fun together.
Read Together. Cook Together. Learn Together.
Because healthy eating and literacy are better when families do them together.
Follow us on Facebook and visit our website to learn about upcoming events, books, recipes, and family activities!
A special shout-out to Teresa for coming to support our very first Cooking Up Literacy session at the Community Resource Center. She came to participate in a day of fun and learning, but she did so much more behind the scenes.
Throughout the session, Teresa supported us as a volunteer, encourager, helper, and true friend of our family. We are so grateful for her kindness, presence, and willingness to step in wherever needed.
Teresa, thank you so much for all you did today. We appreciate you more than words can express. When you join us in July with your family, your only job will be to enjoy being one of our family guests—no volunteering, just cooking, reading, learning, and having…