Family Tasting Night

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Hosting a Family Tasting Night

PTAs can support healthy eating by hosting family tasting nights. Family tasting nights allow an opportunity for PTAs to partner with their school nutrition services team to provide a healthy meal for families.

Families with children of all ages are encouraged to attend family tasting nights and participate in preparing the meal that everyone will eat. Families are provided a recipe card of the meal served and the ingredients so they can replicate the meal at home. Additionally, the recipe used at the tasting night is then incorporated into the school nutrition menu.

Read this quick Tasting Night overview, see the Frequently Asked Questions and then check out the toolkit below for resources on everything from promoting the event to getting donations to organizing the voting process.

Family Tasting Nights

Tasting Night Toolkit

STEP 1: Getting Started 

Schedule a date on your school calendar for the Tasting Night and start engaging your school community in discussions around the importance of healthy eating. Reach out to your school administrators, teachers and families. 

    STEP 2: Plan Your Event

    Form a planning committee by inviting parents and teachers to join. Recruit volunteers, coordinate logistics and schedule deadlines. Reach out to your school chef, food service personnel and food supplier(s) as well as other community organizations.

      STEP 3: Promote Your Event

      Utilize as many platforms as possible for promoting your event. And don't forget to translate documents into languages your school community speaks.

        STEP 4: Host Your Event

        Ensure that everything goes smoothly at your Tasting Night! Follow the checklist below to be sure the event runs smoothly and keeps families engaged.

          STEP 5: Wrap Up

          Be sure to thank your PTA, school staff, community partners and parent volunteers. Gather feedback, share your results with the Durham Council PTA and National PTA, and use the findings to plan your next event.


          Questions?

          Email [email protected] or call (800) 307-4782.

          National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service. No endorsement of Aetna is implied.