Community cookin’ in the kitchen

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This article was published 23/11/2015 (3737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Food Matters Manitoba is serving up hands-on healthy eating education.

The registered charity, which works to promote “healthy, fair and sustainable food,” is currently in the middle of its Community Tables program, which runs out of North Centennial Recreation Centre in the spring and fall.

Community Tables is a training program that provides community organizations with healthy food skills and knowledge that can be incorporated into meal programs.

The current edition of Community Tables started on Nov. 4 and runs until Dec. 9, with participants taking part in hands-on activities and cooking every Wednesday morning at North Centennial.

“Community Tables is mostly open to North End organizations, although this is the fifth time we’ve offered it so we’ve opened it up to downtown and West End organizations as well,” said Lissie Rappaport, FMM North End program co-ordinator.

“Essentially it’s about equipping organizations with the skills and tools they need to plan and serve healthy meals, thinking about nutrition and how to make their communities healthier.”

The Times visited Community Tables on Nov. 18 for the cooking portion of the Diabetes and Healthy Cooking session. On the menu were spinach, mushroom and barley pilaf, sweet potato fries with curry mayo, and a hamburger soup infused with loads of veggies.

“Hamburger soup is a food that is identified within the indigenous community as a favourite,” said Monica Cyr, Community Tables facilitator. “We’re taking what it tends to be and adding more vegetables, moving away from sodium and looking at fresher herbs.

“We’re proving to the community that whatever meal you have in mind, we can help you create a healthier version of it and you’ll see how equally satisfying it is for your community members.”

In addition to established cultural cuisine, Community Tables works within the economic barriers that exist in the inner-city.

Community Tables participant Monica Franklin-Bevan said she’s particularly interested in the upcoming Food Bank Foods and Menu Planning session.

“If you’re relying on a food bank, you’re not getting foods with very high nutrition,” said Franklin-Bevan, food connections co-ordinator at Wolseley Family Place.

“We’ll learn what to do with processed foods to add some nutrition to them. It’s about doing the best with what you have.”

Kim Klassen, who works at Mount Carmel Clinic, said she’s participating in Community Tables for a similar reason.

“I’m here because I’m developing a program that I hope to run through the clinic, working with young parents that are students, and helping them to navigate through living on a bit of a budget and offering offer healthy food on a budget,” Klassen said.

For more information on Food Matters Manitoba and Community Tables, go to www.foodmattersmanitoba.ca

Talking nutrition

Community Tables focuses on a different healthy food topic each Wednesday. The current program is offering the following sessions:

• Week 1 – Basic Nutrition and Cultural Foods;

• Week 2 – Diabetes and Healthy
Cooking;

• Week 3 – Label Reading and Recipes;

• Week 4 – Food Bank Foods and Menu Planning;

• Week 5 – Making Healthy Food
Guidelines.