Community Nutrition Education Kicks Off

Something exciting is happening in communities across the Bay Area, and it’s more than just delicious seasonal produce! To make healthy eating more accessible to the communities it serves, PCFMA is launching a new community nutrition education program, bringing fun, easy, & free cooking demonstrations to senior centers, libraries, and other community gathering spaces near PCFMA’s farmers’ markets.  

Beginning in 2026 and continuing through 2028, this new program will introduce thousands of Bay Area consumers to fresh, healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and demonstrate simple recipes that they can use to bring these fresh flavors home to their families. 

In addition to cooking demonstrations and tasting, these events will serve as welcoming hubs for food access information, connecting participants to public assistance programs and sharing practical tools for building healthy habits at home. 

“We’re thrilled to strengthen our community offerings in neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area,” said Emma Silver, PCFMA’s Community Engagement Manager. “Our farmers’ markets are already vibrant hubs of food and community, and we hope this program allows more people to meet their needs by more knowledgeable shopping, cooking, and enjoying all that California agriculture has to offer.”  

“With changes in the food access landscape, the need for programs that help more people discover fresh food, learn easy recipes, and increase access to healthy ingredients from local farmers’ markets is more prevalent than ever,” Silver said. “PCFMA is here to do our part in strengthening our community’s collective health while celebrating the farmers who grow food throughout California.” 

Funding for this initiative was made possible by a grant/cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.