Bozeman Library Program Helps Kids And Families Save Money, Grow Food

Bozeman, Mont. — A hands-on program at the Bozeman Public Library called the Family Kitchen Lab is showing families how to grow their own food as grocery costs keep rising in Montana.  

The program teaches families how to grow, prepare, and better understand their food.  

The library launched Family Kitchen Lab in 2024 and has continued it as food prices climb across the state.  

For Malcom Hoaglund, the class connects with something he already enjoys doing at home.  

“My mom and me have a garden at our house, and we actually really like working on it,” said Malcom Hoaglund.  

He also says that trying vegetables is part of the fun of learning. “Trying all the cooked carrots and radishes,” said Malcom Hoaglund, “I just think it is super fun to do a bunch of things with plants.”  

Emily Otis, a creative labs librarian at the Bozeman Public Library, says the lessons learned in the kitchen can stay with kids as they grow up and move through the community.  

“These are kids that are going to grow up to care about food and where it comes from,” said Emily Otis, “That’s one of the cool things I feel happens around food is like you can teach a few people how to do a few things, and just by the nature of food they’re going to share it with other people, and that knowledge is going to spread and grow throughout the community.”  

Otis says the program also focuses on eating local, growing food at home and making choices that can help families spend less while keeping food dollars in the community. “One of the things that we talk about a lot, and that we talked about today in particular is like eating local, growing your own food, and so, kind of like, reducing our carbon footprint. What is better for the environment? What’s going to keep your food dollars in the community, or keep you from spending more food dollars than you need to at all?” said Emily Otis.  

The most recent USDA data shows the all-items consumer price index around food rose 0.7 percent for food from home from March to April of 2026. That includes groceries and supermarket food purchases.  

For more information about the library’s family kitchen lab program, visit bozemanlibrary.org.