4Saints Healthy Cooking

4Saints Episcopal Food Pantry resumed “Cooking Matters,” a free nutrition program offered in conjunction with Tarrant Area Food Bank, in April 2022. The classes had been suspended for more than two years as a safety measure in response to COVID-19.

During a recent session, Chef Reggie Robinson discussed how to interpret food labels and the importance of paying attention to serving sizes and recommended daily nutrient values. Robinson challenged participants, each of whom had a different snack in front of them, to calculate which food delivered the lowest amount of sodium per serving. Participants uttered their surprise upon learning that a popular breakfast cereal contained ten percent of the daily recommended value of sodium, in addition to a heavy load of added sugars.

After the nutrition lesson ended, the seven children in attendance rolled up their sleeves, washed their hands, and got cooking. Turkey burger macaroni was on the menu for the evening. While Nayeli and MiKayla browned meat under Chef Reggie’s direction, Victoria grated cheese. Proud parents looked on as their school-age children, each of whom had a kitchen task, showed off their culinary skills.

Participants received homework at the end of the class, but no one complained about the extra work. The assignment? Make turkey burger macaroni at home–ingredients and recipe provided–before the next class.

Each Cooking Matters course includes six weekly sessions. For information on upcoming classes, contact 4Saints Episcopal Food Pantry at info@4saintsfood.org or 817-609-4122.