In Tasting classes, students are encouraged to explore fresh foods using all of their senses, to have fun, and to exercise choice. Tasting classes are one hour long and require no cooking. Children taste different varieties of fruits or vegetables that they may not have had the opportunity to eat at home. Classroom teachers can easily teach these classes using lesson plans, letters from farmers, food history, and nutrition information provided by Cooking with Kids. Students read about, draw, taste, and write about different varieties of fruits or vegetables. They learn to articulate similarities and differences, employ descriptive language, expand vocabulary, and explore choice and personal preference. Whether it’s crunchy sunflower sprouts, the surprise magenta inside a blood orange, or the wonder of realizing that raisins come from grapes, students discover for themselves that “real” foods do make delicious healthy snacks. Whenever possible, Cooking with Kids uses regionally grown produce in season, supporting local farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.