Nanook School students learn to cook in afterschool program

Some elementary school students in theApex area of Iqaluithave been learning more than just math and grammar this year,swappingtextbooks for cookbooks after school.

Approximately 100 students between Grades 1 and 5at Nanook School signed up for the inaugural afterschool cooking club, aimed at teaching them basic mealpreparation skills, including healthy eating tips and how to go grocery shopping.

"Some of the kids didn't know how to crack anegg when they first startedand now they're here making quicheso it's fantastic," said Kerry McCluskey, the parent who launched the program.

"This is the first year but this is not the last year. We'll be running this for as long as we can."

On Friday, the student chefs got to showcase their skills at ayear-end community feast. More than 30 people showed up for the free meal. The childrenprepared most of the menu which featured stuffed potatoes, nacho chips, quiche, homemade chicken nuggets and the club favourite: meatballs.

The local men's shelter also donated macaroni along withsomeingredients for cake and some parents also pitched in.

KajSandbakken, 10, said meatballs are the most fun to make.

"It's like making a cookie. But the meatball, you can do the same thing as with dough and you can put whatever you want on it."

For Friday's feast, the studentsmade close to 700 meatballs in an hour.Theygot so good at making them, they used their newfound skill to help the community.

"We took them to the soup kitchen and they made about 400 or 500 meatballs there," McCluskey said.

"The other thing that they made a lot of is pizza. The kids are now pro at making pizzas, so I think we're going to do some fundraisers using pizzas. Maybe some pizza delivery night."

The club is only losing two members to graduationand there are a bunch of kindergarten studentsmoving up into Grade 1. McCluskey said she hopes many of them will join the cooking club.