Camp Joven
Camp Joven youth cooking and meal prep

Program

FOOD & MEAL PREP.

Teaching St. Louis youth how to nourish themselves — from the grocery store to the kitchen table. Real skills. Real food. Real life.

4
Core Modules
6+
Recipes Taught
12–18
Ages Served

Why It Matters

FOOD IS A LIFE SKILL.

Too many young people grow up without ever learning how to cook a meal, read a nutrition label, or plan a week of healthy eating on a budget. Camp Joven's Food & Meal Prep program changes that.

Through hands-on cooking sessions, grocery store field trips, and nutrition workshops, our youth leave with the knowledge and confidence to feed themselves and their families — for life.

What We Teach

FOUR CORE MODULES

Nutrition Basics

Youth learn how food fuels the body — understanding macronutrients, reading nutrition labels, and building balanced plates on a budget.

  • Reading nutrition labels
  • Balanced meal planning
  • Healthy snacking
  • Hydration habits

Kitchen Skills

From knife safety to stovetop techniques, participants build real cooking confidence through hands-on practice in a supervised kitchen environment.

  • Knife safety & technique
  • Stovetop & oven basics
  • Food safety & hygiene
  • Recipe reading

Grocery & Budgeting

We take youth through the real-world process of planning meals, making grocery lists, and shopping smart — stretching every dollar without sacrificing nutrition.

  • Meal planning on a budget
  • Grocery list building
  • Comparing unit prices
  • Seasonal produce

Meal Prep & Planning

Participants learn how to prep meals in advance — saving time, reducing waste, and building healthy habits that last beyond the program.

  • Batch cooking
  • Food storage & safety
  • Weekly prep routines
  • Reducing food waste
Camp Joven youth cooking together

In the Kitchen

RECIPES WE COOK TOGETHER.

Every session ends with a meal youth made themselves. Here's a sample of what's on the menu.

  • Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies
    35 minBeginner
  • Black Bean & Rice Bowl
    20 minBeginner
  • Overnight Oats
    5 minBeginner
  • Stir-Fry with Brown Rice
    25 minIntermediate
  • Homemade Veggie Soup
    40 minIntermediate
  • Baked Salmon & Greens
    30 minIntermediate

READY TO COOK?

Enroll your youth in Camp Joven's Food & Meal Prep program or reach out to learn more.

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