Research & Practice
Culturally Relevant Recipe Development for Seattle Farm to Preschool Program
Seattle Farm to Preschool (F2P) is a partnership of eight organizations whose mission is to “provide children and families with access to fresh local food and learning opportunities which celebrate food cultures and invest in our local farm economy.” F2P uses a systems-based approach to enact change and foster a resilient ecosystem honoring the land, workers, communities, and lifelong health. Forty percent of F2P preschoolers are from immigrant and refugee families, have greater cultural diversity, and a larger financial need than the overall Seattle Public School system’s Kindergarten population. Children at participating preschools receive nutrition and gardening education in their classrooms; families receive regular bags of fresh produce, recipes, and skill-building resources; and preschools receive classroom supplies, curriculum materials, and grant stipends to purchase local produce and provisions for use in their food programs. F2P also stimulates the local economy by providing infrastructure and distribution pathways that reduce the geographic distance from farm to consumer. Many of these small-scale farmers are refugees, immigrants, women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. The entire program is funded through the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax.
This project included two main deliverables. First, a portfolio of culturally informed recipes which could be used for educational outreach across preschool classrooms, in printed materials, and in F2P’s online database. Recipes were developed to use basic kitchen equipment, be cost conscious, and include kid-friendly, skill-building tasks. They focused on the use of seasonal Pacific Northwest produce and emphasized how non-Western eating patterns contribute to nutrition, diet quality, and diet diversity. Cultural food traditions highlighted Mexico, Korea, the Philippines, China, Vietnam, the Pacific Northwest, and several regions of Africa. Dishes included entrees, appetizers, sides, soups, salads, desserts, and beverages. Second, a portfolio including an update and expansion of F2P’s online wholesale vegetable quantity tool (VQT). This resource provides information for food service providers, including wholesale farm purchasing options, edible portion yields for raw and cooked produce, seasonal availability and storage details, and suggestions for culinary applications. The VQT also includes portion yields and language to assist providers who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Field research for this project included qualitative interviews with chefs from Tilth Alliance’s senior meals program, owners of Farmstand Local Foods, and a Dept. of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) coach; a literature review; preschool site visits; and pilot recipe testing in preschool classrooms and at popup produce markets. Dissemination of the results included a written report, creation of a project poster, and a presentation at a University of Washington Research Symposium. Following completion of this project, recipes have been used for nutritional education in preschool classrooms, printed as part of an equipment toolkit for preschool educators, and internally at F2P capacity building events.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): MPH Practicum
Author(s): Karen Krol
Program(s): Master of Public Health
Year: 2024
Adviser(s):