Mix it up!... America Restaino demonstrates to FFS student, Leah L., how to whip up delicious icing for a shortcake recipe.
Saving Money With Home-Made Meals
By Jajce W. and Gabe L.
How much does a decent meal cost? You’ll spend $15-20 at any respectable restaurant, or just settle for a fast food chain and spend around five.
Family Foundation School staff, America Restaino, disagrees with the common conception of what it takes to fill up. As a single mother cooking for hungry kids, she learned how to cook for cheap and wanted to pass the knowledge on to the kids at the school.
“We need to teach kids how to live and to cook in college,” said Restaino.
The idea of a cooking class took its earliest form in a weekly activity that students could sign up for, and now has progressed into an official class that is part of the schedule.
Restaino teaches the “barebones” of cooking, or the basic needs for survival when college arrives.
She has over 15 meals, both vegetarian and containing meat, which can be made in one hour with only one or two pots and pans.
She teaches the students how to measure without using utensils, trusting your taste sense, learning the cost of preparing foods against buying food, and how to clean, cook, eat, and clean again.
Another day of cooking opened up on Sunday due to the students strong interest in the class.
Restaino hopes to start growing her own herbs in the garden outside the school come spring, and possibly hold an intern class for kids who are leaving The Family School soon and have not been able to get into the class.
“I love the relaxed atmosphere,” said Rebecca C. “It’s not like a real class, everyone is always talking.”
Some of the meals (all homemade) include burgers, omelets, blueberry cake, fried apples, olive oil and garlic spaghetti, fresh basil and tomatoes pasta, pineapple upside-down cake, and many more.
“It’s all about the passion,” said Restaino, “because in the real world your boss won’t feed you.”
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