Hands-On COOKING Classes
Reserve your spot today!
Our cooking classes are perfect for individuals or groups looking for a highly personalized cooking experience. We offer a variety of class options where kids and teens will learn where specific ingredients come from, follow a recipe, utilize new techniques, and work as a team to prepare a favorite meal. We teach how to mix and measure, properly use a knife, and how to safely use appliances. Participants will receive take-home recipes to recreate the meal and hone their new cooking skills.
We update our class offerings frequently, so be sure to check back often. Don’t see what you’re looking for or not sure which class to sign-up for? Contact us with questions!
Group Classes
CLASSES FOR GIRL SCOUTS
Take our virtual and in-person classes and meet girls from other troops! All classes are hands-on and we eat what we make at the end of class. Recommended for ages 8 and above. Click on Sign Up to see class descriptions.
Adult + Child Classes
Join us for adult + child classes so that you can enjoy this fun activity together! Participants do all of the work in these classes: measuring, mixing, chopping, whisking, kneading, using the stove, and using the oven, to name a few! We will incorporate some science, math, and even art along the way. And, we’ll have a whole lot of fun!! Recommended for ages 5 and above.
Dough
Take all 3 classes or choose the ones that work for you! We’ll work as a group to make multiple recipes from scratch and enjoy them at the end of class. Take home recipes and part of your creation to share with your family! Recommended for ages 8 and above. Click on Sign-up to see class descriptions.
around the world
Take all 3 classes or choose the ones that work for you! We’ll work as a group to make multiple recipes from scratch and enjoy them at the end of class. Take home recipes and part of your creation to share with your family! Recommended for ages 8 and above. Click on Sign-up to see class descriptions.
After school & Evening Cooking Club - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
Join us for weekly hands-on cooking classes for kids! We work as a group to make a couple of recipes and eat our creations at the end of class. Kids learn about different ingredients and new techniques to develop confidence in the kitchen!
SUMMER CAMP
We’re offering 10 different sessions to choose from this Summer! Camps run four consecutive days for two hours per day. We offer different themes each month. Kids make a few recipes each day from scratch! Click on Sign-up to see class descriptions and register.
Scouting Workshops and Badge Classes
Earn your snacks badge or meals badge with Real Food 4 Kids! Available for in-person classes in the Des Moines Metro or virtually via Zoom! The class costs $250 for up to 10 scouts, and $25 for each additional scout. If meeting in-person, we will come to your meeting space with everything needed, including all of the food and equipment! Or, we can meet virtually via Zoom. We offer two options for our Scouting Workshops and Badge Classes:
SIMPLE MEALS
An hour-long cooking class where we make 2-3 recipes to create a simple meal from scratch.
Sample menus include:
Pancakes, whipped cream, and fresh berry sauce
Minestrone soup and biscuits
Pasta from scratch
Lettuce wraps with dipping sauce
Applesauce and french toast sticks
Wontons/dumplings and dipping sauce
Ramen (without the seasoning packet!)
FOOD EDUCATION + SNACK
An hour-long session that includes a food education lesson and made-from-scratch snack.
Sample options include:
All about fruits and vegetables and where they grow on the plant. We bring in different fruits and vegetables to talk about. We make a fruit salad at the end or cut up lots of veggies to sample.
How to read an ingredient statement: we bring in familiar processed food packages and we talk about how to read ingredient statements. We make a snack to share at the end - often, we make energy bites and they're a hit!
Sugar Shockers! We do some hands-on lessons to learn about sugar in beverages and then we make smoothies!
We’ve worked with Scouts all across the Des Moines Metro including Ankeny, Attica, Des Moines, Grinnell, Johnston, Urbandale, Waukee, and West Des Moines. And, virtually across the nation, including Scouts in California, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa,, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Private Cooking Parties
You get to design the menu for these classes, and the options are endless! We typically make about 3 recipes that you help choose. The class lasts 2 hours and we eat what we make at the end of class. We encourage everyone to participate as much as possible and we make nearly everything from scratch; from homemade pasta and ravioli, to cakes with fondant, to enchiladas with homemade tortillas. Give us an idea of what you would like to make and we can provide some suggestions!
Perfect for kids (and adults, too!) birthday parties, book clubs, sports teams, church groups, scouting groups, family events, homeschool groups, etc.
In-person private COOKING parties
$540 for up to 9 people, and $60 for each additional person up to a maximum of 12. You are welcome to utilize Kitchen Spaces at 1139 24th Street for your event, however, time is limited to 2 to 2.5 hours. We can also come to your location! We bring all of the ingredients and much of the equipment; we ask for use of your oven, stove, and sink. A Real Food 4 Kids team member will wash dishes as we go!
Virtual Private COOKING Parties
These classes are held online via zoom. $300 for a 2-hour class. We can also offer a shorter 1-hour class for $200. We will send grocery lists, equipment lists, recipes, and a zoom link one week in advance of the class. We will work together online to make the recipes and enjoy them at the end of class. Chatting with other participants is encouraged! The session can be recorded in case any of the participants are unable to attend or have internet issues.
Food Education Classes
Are you a school or organization interested in bringing Real Food 4 Kids food education programs to your students? We offer in-person (available anywhere in the Des Moines metro) and virtual food education classes taught by instructors from Real Food 4 Kids. You may also purchase specially designed curricula for each grade level for use in your school or organization. These classes are great for classrooms, after-school programs, community centers, fitness clubs, churches, team sports, libraries, and restaurants.
Join our Subscription Online Cooking School
Do your kids want to help prepare food, or even learn to cook on their own? Join our subscription online cooking school and help your kids develop the skills to feel confident in the kitchen. When you join our member-only online cooking school, you’ll have access to:
A library of kid-friendly recipes (including gluten-free and allergy-friendly recipes). All recipes include an ingredient list, equipment list, and easy-to-follow instructions.
Kid-led and instructor-narrated videos for each recipe for you to follow along with—watch at your convenience and pause as needed so you can go at your own pace.
Themed menus (such as “Ultimate Weekend Brunch” and “Taco Tuesday”).
Gift Cards
Gift cards are available for our in-person classes and online cooking school!
