Roosevelt's Grilling Garden

We are teaching special education students how to grow and prepare their own vegetables at home for a healthier lifestyle. We have incorporated live-fire grilling as our main preparation method.

Our goal is two-fold. The first step is to educate the students on making smart food choices that will lead to healthier eating habits and thus a higher quality of life. Specifically, we want to teach the students gardening skills needed for home grown vegetables and fruits, and that cooking with their own fresh produce is a viable way to add to a wholesome diet. The second part of the goal is to teach the students how to prepare these real foods in a simple yet flavorful way via outdoor grilling over charcoal. Grilling over charcoal enhances natural flavors and is lower in fat and calories than many other cooking methods. Learning outside of the traditional classroom puts the students into an exciting atmosphere and teaches them skills they can use the rest of their lives. This project will tremendously impact our population of students, many of whom are at or below the poverty level. Growing their own produce from a home type garden will be both very rewarding and nutritious.