A sunny schoolyard or a cozy dining hall decorated with balloons and bright flags. At the tables, focused moms and dads “cook up” alongside their eager children. The air is filled with the aromas of vegetables and fruits… That’s how the Cooking Together masterclasses unfolded in June 2025 across all seven provinces of Kyrgyzstan! More than 200 parents and primary school children (from Bishkek to Batken) were learning to cook and discovering the secrets of healthy eating while spending an unforgettable time with family and friends. All of this took place as part of the School Meals Programme.
Not just a lesson, but a celebration: cooking, learning, connecting!
These masterclasses became a lively bridge between school and family. They ran side-by-side with the professional Best School Cook 2025 competition, creating a unique synergy. Parents who had just been asking chefs about the quality of school meals during the competition’s qualifying rounds were now putting on aprons and learning to prepare healthy dishes together with their kids.
So, what was on the masterclass agenda?
Step one to better health: the Healthy Eating Plate
The session didn’t begin with a dull lecture, but with a game that drew in both children and parents. At the center of attention was the colorful Healthy Eating Plate. The facilitator invited participants to take a close look at it and answer questions together:
The next part of the game was a hands-on challenge: teams had to find and mark, among various pictures, foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as grains, vegetables, and fruit, which are vital sources of energy for studying and playing. This simple and visual activity made it easy to remember the core principles of a healthy diet.
From theory to tasty practice
After the engaging Healthy Plate game, participants moved on to their first culinary challenge — making a summer vegetable salad with kurut.
First, they split into “parent + child” teams and chose a captain. Each team received the task of carefully examining the salad’s ingredients: fresh cucumber, radish, onion, lemon, and dill. Using colorful guides with information about the vitamins and health benefits of each food, teams filled in special charts. Together, children and adults figured out: What makes cucumbers healthy? Which vitamins are found in radishes? Why does the body need onions? It was an important step toward mindful eating.
After this cheerful “research,” it was time for action! Teams divided the roles: some sliced vegetables, others mixed ingredients, while a few put their creativity into decorating the finished dish. The atmosphere buzzed with energy.
And then came the moment of truth: the salad was ready! Participants proudly presented their culinary creations to the other teams and the hosts. The highlight of the stage was the group tasting session, filled with delight and lively exchanges of impressions. It’s no wonder one mother later admitted: “It was the first time my child ate a salad with such pleasure, simply because he made it himself!”
The secret of healthy sweets
If the vegetable salad sparked curiosity, the second dish of the masterclass — chickpea sweets — was a real sensation, especially among the children! The very combination of the words “chickpea” and “sweets” brought surprise and questions: “Chickpeas? Sweets?! How does that work?”
Before getting started, the teams, just like with the salad, carefully examined the unusual ingredients: chickpeas, prunes, orange, and sesame seeds. Using the same helpful guides, participants discussed the benefits of each component: Why are chickpeas good for you? Why are prunes sweet without sugar? What makes sesame so healthy? This helped everyone realize that a healthy dessert is absolutely possible!
Then came the most fun and creative stage: making the sweets! Children and parents eagerly shaped the chickpea mixture into small sweet balls, rolling them with delight in fragrant sesame seeds. This hands-on, almost magical process brought enormous joy to everyone involved.
The result exceeded all expectations! The taste of these homemade chickpea sweets sparked genuine excitement. As Svetlana Nagmanova from Talas later wrote in her feedback: “We would take home the sweets we didn’t finish up. They’re so delicious!” This was the best proof of the main message: a healthy dessert can be not just edible, but a truly beloved treat.
The final touch
The masterclass concluded with a big tasting session, bringing together all the highlights of this busy day. Participants happily enjoyed the dishes they had prepared with their own hands, both the fresh summer salad with kurut and the unique chickpea sweets. Laughter, shared impressions, and pride in their joint effort filled the room. “It’s so important that children learn not only to cook but also to work as a team. This is a skill they will use in life,” parents noted, watching the teamwork in action.
More than cooking: takeaways
These few hours of shared creativity gave families much more than just two new recipes. They gained practical skills, learning how to make healthy and affordable dishes from local products, breaking the myth that “healthy can’t be tasty.”
The shared work, common goals, and joy of the result became priceless moments of family connection. As one participant from Osh put it: “We cooked together… It was not only delicious but also healthy… This kind of event truly brings the family together.”
In a fun, playful way, both children and adults absorbed important knowledge about a balanced diet, the healthy plate principle, and the value of vegetables and fruits.
And of course, every family left with useful gifts, including healthy eating guides, a QR code for the digital version of the Cooking Together recipe book, and a sealed envelope with an exciting family quest, In Search of a Healthy Breakfast, which the hosts urged them to complete at home, to the children’s delight and curiosity!
The Cooking Together masterclasses were a vivid reminder: healthy eating is anything but boring! It’s tasty, fun, and brings families closer. When schools and parents work hand in hand, our children gain the foundation for a healthier future.
A big thank-you goes to the Ministry of Education, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI), and the Republican Health Promotion Center for organizing this wonderful family celebration!
Scan the QR code, try making the healthy chickpea sweets at home, and get ready for more delicious get-togethers ahead!
Not just a lesson, but a celebration: cooking, learning, connecting!
These masterclasses became a lively bridge between school and family. They ran side-by-side with the professional Best School Cook 2025 competition, creating a unique synergy. Parents who had just been asking chefs about the quality of school meals during the competition’s qualifying rounds were now putting on aprons and learning to prepare healthy dishes together with their kids.
So, what was on the masterclass agenda?
Step one to better health: the Healthy Eating Plate
The session didn’t begin with a dull lecture, but with a game that drew in both children and parents. At the center of attention was the colorful Healthy Eating Plate. The facilitator invited participants to take a close look at it and answer questions together:
- Which familiar but unhealthy foods (such as fast food or excess sweets) are missing from this plate? Children eagerly shared their ideas, while parents helped put thoughts into words.
- Why are these foods absent? Teams worked together to understand their impact on health.
The next part of the game was a hands-on challenge: teams had to find and mark, among various pictures, foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as grains, vegetables, and fruit, which are vital sources of energy for studying and playing. This simple and visual activity made it easy to remember the core principles of a healthy diet.
From theory to tasty practice
After the engaging Healthy Plate game, participants moved on to their first culinary challenge — making a summer vegetable salad with kurut.
First, they split into “parent + child” teams and chose a captain. Each team received the task of carefully examining the salad’s ingredients: fresh cucumber, radish, onion, lemon, and dill. Using colorful guides with information about the vitamins and health benefits of each food, teams filled in special charts. Together, children and adults figured out: What makes cucumbers healthy? Which vitamins are found in radishes? Why does the body need onions? It was an important step toward mindful eating.
After this cheerful “research,” it was time for action! Teams divided the roles: some sliced vegetables, others mixed ingredients, while a few put their creativity into decorating the finished dish. The atmosphere buzzed with energy.
And then came the moment of truth: the salad was ready! Participants proudly presented their culinary creations to the other teams and the hosts. The highlight of the stage was the group tasting session, filled with delight and lively exchanges of impressions. It’s no wonder one mother later admitted: “It was the first time my child ate a salad with such pleasure, simply because he made it himself!”
The secret of healthy sweets
If the vegetable salad sparked curiosity, the second dish of the masterclass — chickpea sweets — was a real sensation, especially among the children! The very combination of the words “chickpea” and “sweets” brought surprise and questions: “Chickpeas? Sweets?! How does that work?”
Before getting started, the teams, just like with the salad, carefully examined the unusual ingredients: chickpeas, prunes, orange, and sesame seeds. Using the same helpful guides, participants discussed the benefits of each component: Why are chickpeas good for you? Why are prunes sweet without sugar? What makes sesame so healthy? This helped everyone realize that a healthy dessert is absolutely possible!
Then came the most fun and creative stage: making the sweets! Children and parents eagerly shaped the chickpea mixture into small sweet balls, rolling them with delight in fragrant sesame seeds. This hands-on, almost magical process brought enormous joy to everyone involved.
The result exceeded all expectations! The taste of these homemade chickpea sweets sparked genuine excitement. As Svetlana Nagmanova from Talas later wrote in her feedback: “We would take home the sweets we didn’t finish up. They’re so delicious!” This was the best proof of the main message: a healthy dessert can be not just edible, but a truly beloved treat.
The final touch
The masterclass concluded with a big tasting session, bringing together all the highlights of this busy day. Participants happily enjoyed the dishes they had prepared with their own hands, both the fresh summer salad with kurut and the unique chickpea sweets. Laughter, shared impressions, and pride in their joint effort filled the room. “It’s so important that children learn not only to cook but also to work as a team. This is a skill they will use in life,” parents noted, watching the teamwork in action.
More than cooking: takeaways
These few hours of shared creativity gave families much more than just two new recipes. They gained practical skills, learning how to make healthy and affordable dishes from local products, breaking the myth that “healthy can’t be tasty.”
The shared work, common goals, and joy of the result became priceless moments of family connection. As one participant from Osh put it: “We cooked together… It was not only delicious but also healthy… This kind of event truly brings the family together.”
In a fun, playful way, both children and adults absorbed important knowledge about a balanced diet, the healthy plate principle, and the value of vegetables and fruits.
And of course, every family left with useful gifts, including healthy eating guides, a QR code for the digital version of the Cooking Together recipe book, and a sealed envelope with an exciting family quest, In Search of a Healthy Breakfast, which the hosts urged them to complete at home, to the children’s delight and curiosity!
The Cooking Together masterclasses were a vivid reminder: healthy eating is anything but boring! It’s tasty, fun, and brings families closer. When schools and parents work hand in hand, our children gain the foundation for a healthier future.
A big thank-you goes to the Ministry of Education, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI), and the Republican Health Promotion Center for organizing this wonderful family celebration!
Scan the QR code, try making the healthy chickpea sweets at home, and get ready for more delicious get-togethers ahead!
