Welcome
In the United States, we lack a strong food culture that is connected to the land on which we live. Such a culture, based on the wisdom and cooking skills handed down from generation to generation, has been replaced by easily obtainable highly processed food. As a result, many children, and oftentimes their parents, don’t know how real food tastes.
The Good Food Project directly addresses this issue by bringing real food, with its incomparable flavors, into Chicago-area classrooms for children and teens to taste and explore.
We began conducting apple tastings in 2008. Apples are familiar, come in hundreds of varieties, and when made into apple slinkies, are great fun. By exposing children to fabulous flavors in fun and engaging ways, the Good Food Project is helping them appreciate real food, and equipping them to make better choices.
When students and teachers asked for more lessons, we added citrus tastings and summer fruit tastings (for summer school and day camp programs) to our regular programs. We are also introducing other real foods by way of a “guest food program.” And, at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, we are working with staff and students to create a new and healthy food culture for everyone in the school.
Our Programs
Apple tastings
Apples are the perfect vehicle to introduce children to new foods. They are a national symbol of school and learning. Read more…
Citrus tastings
Oranges that are red and pink inside, zipper-skin mandarins, and strange-looking Buddah’s hands are a few of the citrus varieties kids experience in our citrus lessons. Read more…
Summer fruit tastings
Summer school and day camp programs love our fruit tastings, which take advantage of the abundance of farm-fresh local fruit. Read more…
Sullivan High School: Developing a Healthy Food Culture
The Good Food Project has been working at this Rogers Park High School for three years. Sullivan students know the names of popular, as well as obscure, apple varieties and can discuss their attributes. Read more…
Guest Foods
Our survey of students tells us that they overwhelmingly want to try new foods. Look for guest appearances of a variety of other real foods. Read more…
Sullivan High School teacher, Shannon McGlynn and her students joined Food Film Festival Director George Motz and Good Food Project Executive Director, Susan Taylor at the 2nd annual Chicago Food Film Festival. The Good Food Project was named host and beneficiary of the only film festival where guests eat what they see on the screen.