By Marilyn Heller, Volunteer
Nutrition class at Women in Charge is taught once a month from September to May, the class is taught by a volunteer. Women gather in the kitchen to make a lunch that is shared with the staff members. Instruction and cooking are followed by sharing of the meal which is always a proud moment for the students.
During instruction, subjects are discussed while the women are preparing the meal, and again at the end of class as the women wait for their dishes to finish cooking. Topics discussed include food groups and planning balanced meals, budgeting and using resources to the best of one’s ability, stretching a meal by the addition of inexpensive, healthy foods, and enticing children to eat wholesome foods. Avoiding cross-contamination is another very important topic that is frequently discussed.
Many skills are taught during the preparation of the meal. Included are measuring liquids and solids, knife skills, washing produce and handling raw meat. Students are met where they are. If a student is lacking in basic knife skills, instruction and demonstration are important. Frequently it is necessary to double recipes and this offers an opportunity to use mathematical skills. It is always important to stress cleanliness in the kitchen: washing produce before it is used, preparing vegetables before dealing with raw meat to avoid cross-contamination, and washing hands as needed.
The recipes used during nutrition class have been chosen because of ease of preparation, use of inexpensive, easy to procure ingredients, the opportunity to provide practice in necessary skills, and the likability of the dish by the students in the past. The instruction changes according to the needs of the students. Students who have much experience in cooking will be challenged more to think about what they are making and if it is healthy. For some students chopping an onion is their starting point. Any of the following meals might be prepared during a class:
*Tex Mex Skillet with Brown Rice and Zucchini
*One Pot Cabbage Casserole with Roasted Green Beans
*Ziti Casserole with salad and homemade Balsamic Salad
Dressing
*Hot Texas Chili Soup with Cornbread
*Potato Frittata with Cucumber, Tomato and Pineapple
Salad
*Cheese and Corn Tortillas with Mexican Coleslaw
*Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers with Zucchini,
Tomato, and Corn Salad
*Chinese Vegetables and Rice
*Spaghetti Pie with Warm Chickpea Salad
*Chicken Salad with Biscuits
*Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole
*Baked Chicken Tenders with Romaine and Strawberry Salad
Copies of all recipes are available for students to take home if they
would like. The meals are well-received by the majority of students.
