8 parents cooking!
It’s amazing to watch an eggplant transform from an unidentifiable “purple thing” into a delicious and healthy meal. And that’s what I get to do on a regular basis as part of the food bank’s nutrition education team.
I’ve spent a lot of time surrounded by the smells of cooking and the sounds of learning with everyone from small groups of 8 parents to big groups of 30+ food assistance partners. We share with all of our nutrition education participants how to take common, inexpensive ingredients (often ones that are available at the food bank) and quickly turn them into a nutritious dinner.
The star of the show in all of our classes are always our recipe cards, which empower people to feed 4 people for $7 or less. We designed them to help busy moms and dads (and anyone else who needs inspiration) get a meal on the table fast, without a lot of time or money. This means a lot to folks who are working 2-3 jobs to make ends meet while trying to feed a family.
I often hear from people that they used to be afraid of cooking produce, because they didn’t know what to do with it. Now they’re using fruits and vegetables all the time. One woman who has taken our classes said she used our salmon and spinach cake recipe so often that her husband asked her to bring home some more so that he could try something new. These days, half of her staple recipes are from the food bank.
Will you help us keep providing the food and information that can help kids, parents, and seniors live healthier lives? We need your help!