Empowering Cranbrook Youth Through Food for Life
Food for Life, 2024 Nutrition Link Services Society grant recipient in Cranbrook, BC, empowered over 200 youth with hands-on cooking, nutrition, and life skills to build confidence and lifelong healthy habits.
In 2024, with support from Nutrition Link Services Society (NLSS), the Food for Life program in Cranbrook, BC provided a transformative experience for local youth. Through 15 hands-on sessions, over 200 participants gained practical food skills and a deeper understanding of nutrition, budgeting, and healthy living.
Throughout the year, youth prepared 50 unique recipes, shared more than 300 meals, and spent over 1,000 hours building real-life skills in a supportive, interactive environment. The program’s curriculum covered everything from meal planning and grocery shopping to cooking, cleaning, and even gardening, helping participants develop confidence, independence, and responsibility.
Participants learned how to create balanced meals on a budget, source ingredients, and understand the value of growing their own food. Feedback from families highlighted powerful changes. One parent shared:
“My son has always been a picky eater. He rarely is interested in trying new things, but after going to Food for Life he is so much more adventurous and willing to try new (and even sometimes enjoy) new things.”
The program also encouraged teamwork and collaboration, as youth worked together to solve problems, share their creations, and support one another in the kitchen. Many left the program with a newfound appreciation for where their food comes from, and the work involved in preparing healthy, home-cooked meals.
Food for Life embodies NLS’s mission to support priority populations through hands-on nutrition education and food skills training. By equipping youth with practical tools and real-world experiences, the program empowered the next generation to make informed, confident choices about food and take pride in their ability to nourish themselves and others.
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