Welcome!
Have a question about Veggie Ready? Check out the FAQ below or contact us: hello@smallbites.club / 404-333-8257.
Welcome to Veggie Ready! We are so excited to help you and your students discover, eat, and LOVE fruits and veggies through hands-on food education experiences. Here is what you can expect from the program:
Complete the Memorandum of Understanding found in your acceptance email. Please provide a phone number and your shipping address. Review the requirements and expectations listed.
You will receive a welcome email with instructions to register for the LIVE, virtual Onboarding. Please answer the questions in the “Veggie Ready: Fresh Ingredient ordering!” email.
Keep your eye on your mail for your Veggie Ready mailed materials.
Attend the Onboarding or watch the recording on your own time. We will review the Small Bites philosophy, your materials, and lead a practice lesson.
Lead 4 hands-on food education lessons in your classroom, on your schedule.
Attend the live Graduation Celebration and graduate as Adventurous Eaters for life!
Still have questions? Email hello@smallbites.club and we will get right back to you!
I was accepted to Veggie Ready! What happens next?
What materials will I receive?
Starter Kit - Plastic bin, check the side labels for the inventory list
100 tasting cups (perfect for a low-pressure taste test!)
Expo marker (so your students can provide feedback on the Laminated Poster)
Shelf-stable ingredients (Find the plastic bag labeled with that lesson’s fruit or vegetable!)
Mystery Bag & Letter/ Lesson plan (Our favorite sensory circle-time activity)
Kitchen Kit - Tote bag with child-safe kitchen tools
Small Bites Cutting Mat
Nylon Child-safe knife
Measuring Cups and Spoons set
Small Bites Apron
6.Laminated Posters
Descriptive Word Chart
Taste Test Survey Chart
Resource Binder - Expandable file folder full of printed materials
Printables -
“Child Allergy and Parent Consent Form”
Customizable Chef’s hats
Veggie Passports and special stickers
2.Hands-on Lesson materials for each recipe -
8-Page start-to-finish Recipe Booklet instructions
25 Family Recipe Cards
25 “I tried it!” stickers
3.Bonus activities (varies by semester) -
Circle Time Book
Seed Power kit
Standard and skill-based lessons
What is on the Digital Platform?
The Digital Platform is your one-stop shop for everything you need to lead a high-quality, fun, hands-on food education lesson. Everything that you can find in your Resource Binder, you will find on the Digital Platform… and then some! You will find:
Onboarding & Orientation module: A recording of the onboarding, helpful checklists, and a Safe Knife Skills tutorial
Recipe modules (4): Circle Time Activities like the Mystery Bag and a recommended Book Club book and extension activity, Digital PDF Recipe Guide and shopping lists, Extension videos and bonus standard-based activities, family engagement resources, “How’d it go?” survey
Celebration module: Graduation registration information and templates to share your adventure
How do I register for the Digital Platform?
Visit smallbites.club and navigate to “Veggie Ready Login” under “Programs and kits” or head directly to smallbites.club/memberslogin.
Enter the access code that was sent to your email. (Psst! Can’t find it? Let us know: hello@smallbites.club.
Click “sign up” and create an account or sign in.
Access the course by clicking “account/ sign-in” in the upper right corner.
How do I get fresh ingredients?
We love Instacart! Through our partnership with Instacart, you are able to order your fresh ingredients directly to your classroom on your schedule. By using invoicing, you don’t need to add back-up payment because your bill goes directly to us! Easy! Here’s how it works:
Respond to the email “Veggie Ready: Fresh Ingredient ordering!” and answer the questions.
You will receive an email from no-reply@instacart.com with the subject line: You've been invited to join your team on Instacart Business.
Click “Join Team.” You can login to an existing account or create a new one.
When you are ready to order, use the shopping lists on the Digital Platform or your Recipe Booklet from your Resource Binder to select your ingredients. When you are ready to check out, ensure your payment method is set to “Pay by Invoice”.
NOTE: Instacart requires a minimum order of $10 to get delivery. Please select either more of the required ingredients or a new/ different fruit or vegetable to reach the minimum requirement.
Instacart Invoicing:
REMINDERS:
Please note: You will receive funding for purchasing fresh ingredients. This will be enough for up to 25 tastes per recipe.
Funds are to be used exclusively for fresh ingredients required for the Veggie Ready program.
Teachers will be responsible for shopping for, refrigerating, distributing, and using fresh ingredients.
If there are any changes to educator emails or participation, please notify us immediately at laney@smallbites.club
REMINDERS:
Please note: You will receive funding each month for purchasing fresh ingredients. This will be enough for up to 25 tastes. These digital cards will be sent at the beginning of each month.
You will not receive your next gift card until you submit a receipt to Laney
Gift cards cannot be replaced if lost or damaged.
Gift cards are to be used exclusively for fresh ingredients required for the Veggie Ready program.
Teachers will be responsible for shopping for, picking up, refrigerating, distributing, and using fresh ingredients.
If there are any changes to educator emails or participation, please notify us immediately at laney@smallbites.club or hello@smallbites.club.
This is a great option for educators who don’t like to use technology or are living in areas not covered by Instacart. Here’s how it works:
Respond to the email “Veggie Ready: Fresh Ingredient ordering!” and answer the questions.
You will receive your giftcard via email directly from your chosen grocer. You will receive a new card each month.
When you are ready to shop, use the Shopping Lists on the Digital Platform or the Recipe Booklet from your Resource Binder.
Submit your receipt to Laney through email (laney@smallbites.club) or text (404-333-8257). You will not receive your next gift card until a receipt is provided.
Directly from grocery store:
Your classroom or site may be using another method to get the required fresh ingredients (i.e., from your garden or through your School Nutrition Program).
Please email hello@smallbites.club if you have any questions about how you are getting your fresh ingredients!
Other or I don’t know:
There are only a few requirements for participation in this program. The best part is: they are all designed to be both easy and fun! These requirements are outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding that you complete at the beginning of the program. Here is a reminder of these requirements and requests:
Participation requirements:
Participating in a 1-hour live onboarding on Zoom or watch the recording
Parent consent forms from each participating student returned to educators (we don’t need these back!)
Ordering fresh ingredients for each lesson (with funds from Small Bites Adventure Club).
Completion of 4 veggie-focused hands-on cooking lessons
Your feed back via a Pre-survey, “How’s it going?” survey(s), and a Post-survey
Notifying Small Bites Adventure Club immediately if issues or changes to participation arise.
Requirements of us (Small Bites Adventure club):
Small Bites Adventure Club provides schools and education programs with standards-linked, hands-on nutrition education classroom “kits” for learning about and trying healthy, simple recipes. Small Bites Adventure Club’s goals are to:
Create an easy process for students to discover, eat, and love new vegetables.
Provide step-by-step picture instructions and shelf-stable ingredients to create four veggie-based snacks.
Increase students’ knowledge, preference, and consumption of vegetables.
Provide age-appropriate and standards-based extension activities.
Engage family members with take-home recipes that are affordable, seasonal, and easy.
What am I required to do?
What is the Small Bites approach to food education?
Our mission is to help all children discover, eat, and love fruits and vegetables through teacher-led, hands-on experiences. We envision a future where educators are empowered with high-quality, turnkey resources that equip them to lead real-food education experiences right in their classrooms.
But we rarely talk about nutrition…We know that when children have an opportunity to discover, prepare, and try fruits and veggies, they are more likely to eat and really love them! (Check out this research!)
Does knowing spinach is full of calcium make a 5-year-old want to eat spinach? No! There is not much evidence showing that if kids know food is good for them, they are more likely to eat that food. Instead, focus on creating joyful experiences and modeling acceptance of fruits and vegetables! We ask the question: How do you want your students to think about fruits and veggies when they are adults? Empowering kids with the confidence and skills to make healthy choices in the lunch line creates Adventurous Eaters for life!
What do I need to know about allergies and food safety?
Educators are responsible for checking ingredients for student allergens or intolerances. Educators should use our Parent Allergy and Consent Form or check your school/ site’s form to collect updated student permission, allergy, and intolerance information. We intentionally design our recipes to avoid major allergens as much as possible; however, some of our recipes contain dairy products, eggs (mayonnaise), seeds, and gluten. On the “Let’s Prepare” page in each Recipe Booklet, you will always find a reminder to check student allergies, wash hands, and wash produce.
Always thoroughly clean surfaces, tools, and hands before beginning and after finishing your hands-on activities to ensure a safe and fun lesson for everyone. You can find videos about washing hands here.
If you have any questions about substitutions for a student allergy or any other issue, please reach out to us at hello@smallbites.club. Our chef and dietitian will work with you to ensure all students can participate with their peers in this Adventure!
Here is a reminder of the Allergy Responsibilities from the MOU:
Ensure all parents or caregivers have completed and returned the "Guardian/ Parent Consent and Food Allergy Form" prior to participation in a hands-on cooking lesson (found on the Digital Platform and in the Resource Binder).
Review and substitute ingredients as it relates to students' food allergies for each Small Bites recipe.
Take full responsibility for children's safety as it relates to allergies, handling kitchen equipment, and choking hazards.
Our materials are created to be engaging, developmentally appropriate, student-facing, and FUN! Even with the best materials, though, engaging with young learners brings its own set of challenges. Our Educator Jenna has plenty of tips that can help you lead a successful hands-on tasting experience with your unique students. Reach out to hello@smallbites.club with your questions!
What if a child doesn't want to try the food?
Here are a couple of questions we get often:
What do I do when a kid doesn’t like the food?
Let them know that’s totally okay! The goal is NOT for every student to immediately love the recipe or the vegetable, but rather to create a comfortable, low-pressure environment for them to explore new foods. If they are being disruptive or saying things like “yuck”/ “that’s disgusting!”/ etc., you can remind them to say “that’s not for me right now!”/ “I dont want to finish it.”/ “No thank you.” Remind your students that you are proud of them for exploring in any way that they feel comfortable. When it comes to tasting, we provide a script for you!
If you are feeling adventurous, you may try to smell it… And, maybe, even taste it! Let’s count to three and try! One... Two... Three
Celebrate trying [this recipe] with an "I tried it" sticker. If you held it, smelled it, licked it, or ate it... You tried it!
What do I do if a kid refuses to participate?
That’s ok! Maybe they feel safer watching this time. Encourage them each lesson to participate in the way that makes them feel comfortable (washing the produce, measuring using a measuring spoon, maybe even using the child-safe knife). Often, the “I tried it!” stickers are reason enough for a student to participate or even taste the recipe. Counting to 3 and trying together can also help hesitant students build the confidence to try!
What if we spill everything or make a big mess?
Cooking can be messy! It’s important that students see cleaning up as part of cooking too. Having the kids help clean (in whatever way makes sense in your classroom) can help students feel proud of their space and prepared for their future. If you are not in a space that can handle some mess, we can help you brainstorm solutions - email us hello@smallbits.club
Each activity and lesson provided is standards-based. You can find the standards we cite in the yellow boxes in your Recipe Booklet or reach out to hello@smallbites.club. You can also find those standards listed here: smallbites.club/hands-on-food-education-standards
How does Veggie Ready connect to academic standards?
Who do I contact if I need help?
Reach out to hello@smallbites.club with any questions, concerns, or suggestions! You can also call/ text our Program Director Laney at 404-333-8257.
Want to take more veggie-fueled Adventures?
Check out our Instagram @SmallBitesClub!
![🗣️ “I wish everybody would sign up for this program. It provides you with all the support that we [teachers] need to introduce kids to eating healthy. It does not take away from your time, if anything, it will give you MORE time back with the](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/66ca494265c9a045d9d1fa60/1775230383370-L3N8Z6I4C75T8IC63Z3J/image-asset.jpeg)
Join Veggie Ready next year!
This 5-month (Fall/ Spring) or 1–5-week (Summer) program will empower educators to lead their 4-7-year-old students through hands-on food education activities. The goal is to graduate “Veggie Ready” students who are prepared to be adventurous eaters for life.
Time required for Veggie Ready Program: 1-2 hours/month for 5 months (Fall/ Spring) or ~5-10 hours (Summer)
Resources included: Printed materials (step-by-step recipe instructions, stickers, bonus printables), digital tools and videos, shelf-stable food, fresh food delivered through Instacart (optional)
To participate programs must:
Have 4–7-year-olds enrolled
Participate in 1-hour live onboarding at the beginning of the program
Have at least 1 teacher that is willing to lead hands-on food education activity for 1 hour each month.
Ability to receive and respond to email
Take short monthly surveys: Pre-activity, Post activity, monthly check in surveys
