Alameda County Nutrition Services collaborates with community organizations to offer the Cooking for Health Academy (C4HA), providing nutrition education, food safety awareness, and cooking skills. The Academy consists of six two-hour classes.
C4HA classes educate and inform participants on the benefits of increasing fruit and vegetable intake and decreasing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. The C4HA offers cooking skills through a United States Department of Agriculture-approved, community-informed, hands-on, and engaging curriculum.
Each class includes:
- The importance of healthy eating
- Nutrition education
- Shopping for fresh produce
- Safe food preparation
- Culinary skill techniques
- A practice session and recipe tasting
Class topics include MyPlate with details about a balanced, healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fiber, protein sources, and healthy fats, plus tips for reducing sodium and sugar.
Participants who graduate from the Cooking for Health Academy and complete at least five of the six classes are eligible to take the California Food Handler Certification test—all expenses paid!
Cooking for Health Academy classes and workbooks are offered in English and Spanish. Classes are held safely, in a positive, nurturing, fun environment, and can be conducted virtually and/or in-person, pending public health safety measures. The Cooking for Health Academy takes place throughout the year in Alameda County.
Contact Cooking for Health Academy
For more information about the Cooking for Health Academy, email Dale Murai at Dale.Murai@acgov.org or call (510) 268-4221.
Alameda County Health, Public Health Department
Nutrition Services
3600 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
Main Line: (510) 268-4220
Fax: (510) 595-6486
Email: HealthyLiving@acgov.org