Youth cooking program CREATE Lab returns Feb. 4

PINE BLUFF — The Arts & Science Center’s hit cooking series CREATE Lab is back, not only teaching students how to prepare nutritious meals but also the importance of choosing something nutritious. Open to ages 10-17, the program aims to teach several life skills through cooking, including confidence, dealing with the unfamiliar, and trying new things.

Registration is now open for the winter 2023 series of CREATE Lab. The series consists of seven sessions from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Feb. 4, 11,

18, 25, and March 4, 11, and 18. The cost is $35 for all seven sessions, and half scholarships are available. Capacity is limited to 10 students.

Faith Anaya and the staff of her Little Rock-based cooking school Kids Cook! provide their food expertise.

The theme of the recipes for this series is “Cooking What we Grow and Growing What we Cook.” The class will cover various skills, including cooking safety, the science of food, reading nutrition labels, food careers, trying new foods and gardening. Each CREATE Lab series also includes a community service component.

For this series, ASC will partner with Ambassadors for Christ (AFC) to distribute food to those in need throughout our community.

The planned topics for this series include:

• Where Does Food Come From?

• Gardening – Growing What You Cook

• Community Service – Kids Cookin’ for a Cause

• Farmers Market

• Gardening – Cooking What You Grow

• The Science of Food: Nutrition Talk

• A culminating event for students and their families

At the end of each class, students will take containers of food they helped prepare to enjoy at home.

Registration and a scholarship application are available at asc701.org/createlab. For more information about CREATE Lab, contact ASC Education Programs Manager Shakeelah Rahmaan at srahmaan@asc701.org.

(BELOW, LEFT) CREATE Lab participants make pastries during the fall 2022 series of CREATE Lab.

Special to The saline courier (ABOVE) CREATE Lab instructor helps students cut lemons and learn about knife safety during the fall 2022 series of CREATE Lab.

(BELOW, RIGHT) CREATE Lab instructor and Kids Cook! cooking school owner Faith Anaya (second from left) helps students prepare oatmeal bars during the fall 2022 series of CREATE Lab.