Jessica Yanez, known on Instagram and TikTok as The Bakersfield Mom, loves cooking at home with her three-year-old son. That’s why it was especially meaningful for them to share their passion with others by preparing a healthy meal at Beale Memorial Library through the Charlie Cart program.

Part of a national food education initiative, Charlie Cart, a kitchen on wheels, was offered for six weeks locally through a collaboration between the Blue Zones Project of Bakersfield, the Kern County Library (KCL), and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS). The program teaches fun, hands-on cooking skills, basic nutrition, and builds confidence in the kitchen.

Yanez explains that the Charlie Cart experience gives children the opportunity to learn new skills and gain independence in the kitchen, while also introducing them to healthy foods and vegetables they may not have tried before. She says, “This program gives children more confidence in the kitchen:  not just with tools, but with food and nutrition. If you feed and nourish yourself better, it gives you a better life in general, and this helps give them that foundation.”

KCSOS’ supervisor of Catering Services and Special Projects, Jeanelle Jones, says they try to match a recipe and lesson plan to a story each week. Recently, one of the week’s stories was about identifying fruits and veggies to help with shopping. They chose to make southwest lettuce cups not only for their bright colors but also for the variety of ingredients.

“It is so much fun and rewarding to watch kids see new fruits and veggies they may have never tried. It warms my heart to see the joy in their eyes when they see something new or learn something,” Jones says. “Food is something that will always bring people together. It doesn't matter your age, where you come from, or your past. A good meal will always be a way for us to connect with each other now and in the future. It brings the past alive and shows us a brighter future.”

During a recent press conference for Charlie Cart, Karina Funez, Policy Supervisor for the Blue Zones Project of Bakersfield, says that according to their data, children in Bakersfield lack access to early food education and basic food skills. This program directly addresses this need by making it free and accessible, meeting families where they are in a safe, trusted public space.

She says, “This program is designed to give our youngest community members something incredibly important: the skills, confidence to build healthy relationships with food early in life. Blue Zones Project focuses on creating environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice. In the world’s longest-living communities, healthy habits begin in childhood through learning basic food skills, enjoying simple and nourishing meals, eating with loved ones, and growing up in supportive environments that make healthy behaviors part of everyday life.”

When Yanez and her son arrived for their Charlie Cart experience, the children gathered for story time, enjoying a food-themed alphabet book before splitting into groups to contribute to the meal in age-appropriate ways. “Each group had something that matched their skill set,” she says. “For the younger kids, it was more of a sensory experience.”

Dressed in aprons, chef hats, and gloves for sanitation, the children worked together to prepare a Chopped Greek Salad. Participants under age five mashed the olives and crumbled the feta cheese. Children ages five to eight mixed the olive oil with salt and pepper to make the dressing, while those older than eight used sharp tools to chop the cucumbers and tomatoes. Once everything was prepared, they combined the ingredients and divided the salad into portions to share.

“Bringing live cooking demonstrations to our libraries through the Charlie Cart program showcases the power of meaningful collaboration. By pairing hands-on culinary and nutrition experiences with reading and learning activities, we give children the tools to make healthier food choices while inspiring a lifelong love of learning,” says Rafael Juarez, Senior Director of Food Nutrition Services at KCSOS. “We hope to continue offering these experiences as often as possible, finding creative ways to support them, and gradually bring demonstrations to multiple libraries, sharing the excitement of healthy eating, reading, and learning with even more children and families.”

This free, six-week program concluded in February, but Fahra Daredia, KCL’s Marketing and Promotions Associate, wants to see these types of installations continue in Kern County. “In the future, we would love to see more programs with the Charlie Cart and the Library, especially with early learners, teens, adults, and seniors,” she says. “Empowering our community with these skills early on helps invest in their future and teach them lifelong skills.”

For more information, you can visit www.charliecart.org, www.bluezonesproject.com, www.kerncountylibrary.org, and www.kern.org.