Healthy Cooking Initiative

There is a clear need for dietary intervention in patients with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, hypertension, and childhood obesity. Teaching patients about healthy eating habits to address their condition can be time consuming and overlooked by healthcare providers in a short office visit. In partnership with the Western Colorado Community College (WCCC) Culinary Program, we have developed the Healthy Cooking Initiative Program to provide free monthly cooking classes for the community where we discuss healthy cooking and eating on a budget.

Each class is directed by a Colorado Mesa University Physician Assistant (PA) Student who will educate the participants about dietary approaches to managing specific diseases or nutritional needs, along with methods for healthy meal shopping and cooking. In addition, classes will include instruction from the culinary students from WCCC on food preparation and kitchen safety. The goal of this program is to become an ongoing nutrition and educational resource for those in the community with chronic disease.

Find us on the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Map! https://teachingkitchens.org/map-fim/

Funding

We are able to provide these classes free of cost thanks to the PA Foundation IMPACT Grant and the Be the C.H.A.N.G.E. Grant! The PA Foundation IMPACT Grant Program provides funding to encourage and support PA and PA student involvement in programs that improve health and community-based health projects that demonstrate an impact on patient health outcomes. The Be the C.H.A.N.G.E. Grant is intended to encourage and support volunteerism, service-learning, and other mechanisms that allow PAs to leverage their knowledge and skills to positively impact their communities.

The Healthy Cooking Initiative offers a monthly cooking class open to the general public, lasting approximately 2 hours. Each class is focused on nutrition, meal prepping, and cooking skills. On a rotating basis, the following classes are offered:

Seasonal Meal Planning

We encourage our participants to try all sorts of diets and part of that includes introducing recipes for the current season. Whether it’s a warm butternut squash soup in Autumn or a pasta salad for a summer picnic, we offer a diverse range of recipes for everyone to try.

Cost-Efficient Cooking & Meal Prepping

As physician assistant students, we understand how much time and effort maintaining a healthy diet can take. It can be easy to sacrifice nutritious foods for cheaper, quicker alternatives high in sugar and sodium. At The Healthy Cooking Initiative, we strive to educate on home-cooked meals that meet our health triad: cost-effective, nutritious, and accessible. Eating healthy is much easier said than done so we address the most common issues preventing healthy eating including meal prep strategies, grocery shopping resources, and finding a variety of foods that you can cook and enjoy!

Whether you’re a full-time parent, a swamped college student, or working hard at your job, there’s something for everyone in our classes.

Diabetes, Hypertension, and Food Insecurity

Diabetes and hypertension are not only incredibly common in the United States, but their rates continue to rise. However, they can be managed with diets lower in salt and sugar and higher in delicious fruits, vegetables, and proteins.

Food insecurity is an underrecognized condition that prevents people from gaining proper access to nutritious food and can develop long-term health complications.

In our classes, we will provide our participants with the education and tools necessary to make their diets enjoyable and sustainable, cook a variety of delicious meals, and have fun while doing it.

View the Schedule and REGISTER

The Healthy Cooking Initiative will follow CDC and local guidelines for COVID precautions. The kitchen is cleaned thoroughly before and after each class and basic sanitation and safety practices will be followed.

Water will be provided at the front of the room. We start every class with a brief educational presentation, recipe preview, and demonstration of how to prepare some of the foods. You will be cooking meals at stations around the kitchen and will serve yourself buffet-style if you so choose. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us via email.