Welcome!

This is the home of DOVE, a Unitarian Universalist food education curriculum. It is designed for adults, young adults, and mature youth.

Discuss serious topics. Have fun, too. (photo credit)

What does DOVE cover?  
DOVE uses video, discussion, and supplementary materials to explore issues that affect us all:

      Why do some foods seem almost addictive?

                  How can we fight global warming with our fork?

                              What really happens to the workers and animals who
                                               produce our food, and what can we do to help?

Participants also get time in the kitchen, preparing delicious recipes that demonstrate values of health,  justice, compassion and sustainability. 

DOVE participants from UU Fellowship of Northfield, Minnesota

Please note: DOVE takes the view that issues such as anthropogenic climate change, hunger, and violence are problems, and we should try to address them. We also recognize that some people deny these premises. If this describes you, yet you still want to participate in a local DOVE program, please respect the program's ground rules and expectations. Facilitators might consider scheduling a nonviolent communication workshop as a prerequisite, to emphasize the importance and benefit of effective communication skills.

How do I bring DOVE to my congregation or community?
1. Recruit a co-facilitator (not mandatory, but recommended).
2. Request permission through the appropriate channels.
3. Reserve building space for your session dates.
Click here for session descriptions and recommended meeting times.
4. Invite people to sign up.

This Planning/Publicity Kit provides a more detailed checklist and ready-to-use templates.


Technical requirements:  For some sessions, you need equipment for showing video. For other sessions, you need access to cooking facilities.  These activities are integral to the course, so it is important to resolve any technical questions in advance.

DOVE includes thought-provoking videos & discussion
(Pictured: Cowspiracy screening at UU Congregation of the Great South Bay in Sayville, New York)

Would non-UUs enjoy DOVE?  Sure!  (While DOVE contains references to Unitarian Universalist programs, being UU is not a prerequisite for the course.)

Food Stamped filmmakers Yoav and Shira

How much does DOVE cost?  
This curriculum is free to use.
Facilitators will, however, need to obtain
Food Stamped for the first session.
Participants are asked to contribute
a dish for the final potluck, and may be
asked to contribute ingredients for the
kitchen sessions, as well.


Can I take DOVE by myself?
Yes, DOVE can be used for independent study.  And prospective facilitators may want to prepare for their role by first going through the curriculum on their own (or with a co-facilitator).


For group study, a class size of six to eight people is ideal; this will allow everyone to participate in the kitchen.

Facilitators: If you have more than eight people interested in DOVE, consider forming multiple teams to keep each group a comfortable size.

Before each class meeting, participants are asked to complete a reading or viewing assignment. Readings and videos are accessed via this site. (Please note: currently, the site is not mobile-friendly in terms of navigation.)
Facilitators: If a participant does not have convenient computer and Internet access, please help them pair up with a participant who does. 

The lesson plans for each meeting are offered primarily as guidance for facilitators, but participants may wish to read them, too.

Giving feedback is easy.  Every page on this site has a comments section at the bottom, or you can message the authors directly from the sidebar (under SEND YOUR FEEDBACK).

If Course A whets your appetite...  Come back for more!  We are pleased to offer Course B and Course C, too.

Start off with Course A.  Want more?  Courses B & C are available, too.

DOVE Disclaimer: Information in this curriculum is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

click here to proceed to DOVE's Orientation