Schools Join Beef Cooking Program

By Scout Nelson

Students across South Dakota are gaining real-life cooking and nutrition skills through the Beef in the Classroom Experience. This program is part of the 2025–26 school year and reaches 40 middle and high school classrooms. It helps students learn how to handle beef safely, prepare simple dishes, and understand the nutritional value of beef in a balanced diet.

The program gives students hands-on lab time to work directly with beef products. During these activities, they learn basic cooking skills, explore different beef cuts, and understand how beef supports good health.

They also learn how to make meals they can prepare at home for their families. Teachers say this level of hands-on learning supports confidence and helps students build skills they can use in daily life.

Family and Consumer Science teachers see strong value in the program. They say it offers learning opportunities that many schools cannot provide without outside support. With help from Beef Logic Inc., schools get access to beef products and learning materials that make these lessons possible.

The Beef in the Classroom Experience is led by Beef Logic Inc., a non-profit organization focused on promoting the health and community value of beef. The program also receives volunteer support from South Dakota CattleWomen.

Together, they help connect beef producers, teachers, and families while highlighting beef as part of a healthy and sustainable future.

Beef Logic Inc. also leads Build Your Base, a sports nutrition program designed for young athletes. This program uses beef as its key source of high-quality protein and provides families with simple tools, educational materials, and nutrition guidance to support strong performance.

Schools from across the state take part in the Beef in the Classroom Experience. Participating districts include schools in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Brookings, Madison, Huron, Mitchell, Milbank, Pierre, Brandon Valley, and many more rural communities. Each school receives materials and helps students learn practical cooking and nutrition lessons.

More information about the program and other Beef Logic initiatives is available at www.beeflogicinc.org.

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