Kit
Church Kitchen Class Kit
A four-week, hands-on cooking class any church can host in its kitchen or fellowship hall. Each session includes a short devotion, one practical skill and a meal everyone cooks and eats together.
The four sessions
| Session | Theme | Skill | Cook together | Scripture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Stock a healthy kitchen on a budget | Olive oil vs. seed oils, the staples list, reading unit prices and labels | Big pot of chili and a cabbage slaw | “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt 6:11) |
| Week 2 | Cook once, eat three times | Batch cooking, cooking dried beans and rice, freezing portions | Red beans and rice, then turn leftovers into burritos | “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost” (John 6:12) |
| Week 3 | Breakfast and lunches that work | Oatmeal bar, egg dishes, packing lunches without chips and soda | Veggie omelets and overnight oats | “Whether you eat or drink … do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31) |
| Week 4 | The family table | Planning a week of dinners, getting kids to help, eating together | Sheet-pan chicken and vegetables, then a shared meal with families | “They received their food with glad and generous hearts” (Acts 2:46) |
Each session (90 minutes)
- Welcome and prayer (10 min). Name tags, a quick icebreaker, and a prayer of thanks.
- Devotion (10 min). Read the week’s verse and ask: “How does this change how we think about food?”
- Skill demo (15 min). The teacher shows the week’s skill: reading a label, cooking dried beans, batch prep.
- Cook together (35 min). Small groups of 3–4 each make part of the meal.
- Eat together (15 min). Sit at tables, family style. This is where friendships form.
- Take-home (5 min). Recipe card, the week’s grocery list, and a small challenge to try at home.
Team and roles
- Class leader: leads the devotion and keeps time.
- Cooking teacher: a confident home cook, church cook or local chef who runs the demo.
- Table helpers: one per small group to help beginners.
- Childcare (optional) so parents can attend. Or invite families and let kids help with safe tasks.
Supplies
- Cutting boards, knives, mixing bowls, measuring cups, sheet pans and a large pot per group
- Extra-virgin olive oil and beef tallow (no seed oils in the church kitchen)
- Printed recipe cards and grocery lists from our meal plans and 10 Budget Dinners
- Name tags, a sign-in sheet, and aprons if you have them
- Food budget: plan on enough groceries to feed each participant a full meal. Ask members to sponsor a session.
Before you start
- Ask about food allergies on the sign-up form and plan around them.
- Follow food-safety basics: wash hands, keep raw meat separate, cook chicken to 165°F, and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.
- Keep it affordable. Make the class free, or ask a small donation with scholarships available.
- Invite the neighborhood. Food pantry guests, school families and neighbors are often glad to come. A cooking class is one of the easiest ways to invite someone to church.
Sample announcement
Learn to cook healthy, delicious meals on a budget! Join us for a free four-week cooking class on [DAY] evenings at [TIME], starting [DATE], in the fellowship hall. We’ll cook together, eat together and learn how to feed a family well for less. Space is limited. Sign up at the welcome center.