Cooking with my kids is a favorite activity. When they were younger, it was designed to teach them life skills. Now that they are all older, it gives us the opportunity to talk about life! The kitchen truly is the heart of the home. If you have been following my blog, you know we have been fairly faithful in our Saturday night family time. It’s simple enough to bond over food and games, and once a month a movie night.
This month we incorporated the lessons from: Wa-Shokuiku – Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese! This is a Japanese inspired food and overall nutrition program created by Table For Two , A non profit that promotes healthy eating and brings awareness to critical health issues. Wa-Shokuiku – Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese is an online course designed for both the homeschool family and parents who want to supplement their child’s education, or provide cultural experiences.
It is a self- paced course with 6 lessons. Each of these 6 lessons has 10 parts that focus on nutrition, Japanese manners, vocabulary, Japanese culture and customs.
There are short engaging videos as well as the opportunity for participants to interact with each other (or course instructors) through discussion, photo uploads and short quizzes. The lessons take an average of 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the ages of your children, and if you decide to fully participate in the cooking, questions and photo uploads.
Course creators suggest middle and high school students are ideal for the course, however, as a parent with over 15 years of homeschooling under her belt, I’m confident grades 3 and up can handle the material when it is completed as intended, as a family. This is not a sit – your – kid – down and let THEM do the work course – especially for the younger grades.
Each recipe addresses food allergies, and course creators / instructors are available via email to offer suggestions and substitutions when possible. Having a child with allergies does not exclude you from this wonderful opportunity. In fact, you can pick and choose which recipes to make. Most of the ingredients are available at your local grocery store or easy to order online.
The 6 lessons are as follows:
Lesson 1: Rice – Onigiri (Japanese rice balls)
Lesson 2: Food from the Sea – Salmon teriyaki / Shrimp, Avocado, Cucumber Sushi roll / Wakame (seaweed) salad
Lesson 3: Soy – Zunda (edamame sweets), Inarizushi / Miso soup
Lesson 4: B-kyu Gourmet Popular Japanese Food (These are the Japanese everyday favorites – perhaps how American’s think of Pizza, Hamburgers and Hot Dogs.) – Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes) / Ramen
Lesson 5: Sweets – Dorayaki (sweet-filled pancakes) / Anmitsu (Japanese classic dessert with fresh fruit, mochi and agar agar jelly)
Lesson 6: Bento – Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet / Octopus Shaped hot dog (cute!), plus other delicious bento box elements
I have to say navigating the lessons was easy and fun. I completed them with my Son, who is a High School Senior as well as my 2 college age daughters. One lesson was completed with our 6th grade neighbor so I could adequately provide a fair review – she LOVED IT and participated more fully than my children, if I’m being honest!
We learned that Ramen is one of the most recognizable Japanese foods. The course discusses the fact that the level of salt in ramen is not healthy, and it is important to “Keep your eyes on it” – we should always watch what we eat. Making “homemade” ramen was a hit for Family Fun night.
The 6 Lesson online course is normally $90.00 but is currently on sale for home learning for $45.00. You must also purchase any foods you decide to cook to get the complete course experience. I highly recommend the complete experience found at:
https://www.wa-shokuiku.org/online-course
Enter the coupon code < GAMBARO > to get 50% off!
You have a full year (12 months) to navigate all 6 lessons. This is more than adequate. Even for working / homeschooling families.
I hope you will visit https://www.wa-shokuiku.org/online-course and register your family for this wonderful opportunity today.
*Disclosure regarding the “EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT REVIEW” series: Homeschool Holiday/ Happy Hive Homeschooling does not accept any payment for reviewing products/online courses from other Teacher Authors or programs. I do receive the product being reviewed or the course at no charge, or at a discounted price, and provide my HONEST, educated opinion about how the product or course can be used with my target audience: Educators in all their forms: Parents, Homeschoolers and Teachers.
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