Cooking classes for disadvantaged folks

[Pan]

In places where there is a demand for things like pork knuckles, though, supermarkets sell them. It's interesting to walk through a Dominican neighborhood like Washington Heights and see what's on sale in ordinary supermarkets, as compared to what's on sale in other kinds of neighborhoods.

Sorry if I'm diverting this topic. I'll quit now . . .

[auntdot]

Don't post often, but this thread hit a nerve.

Lived on a barebones budget for several years, hardly every bought prepared food. And was always amazed when the folks with food stamps (we never applied) were buying the frozen and boxed stuff.

Really appreciate all of the ideas, including the outreach.

Believe there is another opportunity to help, all children should be made to take a cooking class, or classes, in school.

What could be a more important aim in a child's education than to teach someone how to feed him/herself and the family on basic, and generally cheap, foodstuff.

People just have to be taught how to do that, and the best way, in the long run, is to teach the kids.

And it can only be done, I believe, in the schools. Have believed that for years.

How eGullet could help make this happen, I have no idea.

But there are a lot of smart people here.

Just a thought.

[Fat Guy]

I think, as artisan2 and others have intimated, that it's critical to maintain a realistic and non-patronizing perspective here. Yes, we've all seen people buying crap food with food stamps. No, the solution is not just telling them about basic nutrition and watching as the disadvantaged transform themselves into the gourmet's ideal of peasant cooks.

We are also an organization with limited funds and an infrastructure that is better suited to some things than to others. We do not, for example, expect that we will ever run a soup kitchen or food distribution center, nor are we going to pursue programs to feed those affected by famine in the developing world. There are other organizations better suited to that, and we hope our members will support them, but we will not be moving into that space. Rather, what we are well equipped to do is focus on media and learning efforts, such as teaching volunteers to teach others, and partnering with other charitable organizations for in-person outreach opportunities.

Getting back to artisan2's point, the research on what is nutritious and how to cook on a budget will not be terribly complex. There will be a lot of work involved, as there always is, in preparing course materials, but it's something we can do. Where we would really need to focus some effort, however, is on gathering feedback from the audience. We can't allow ourselves to be some out-of-touch ivory-tower organization that lectures poor people inappropriately and tells them to do things they'll never do. We will need case studies, real understanding and a grass roots approach. This means we move slowly, starting with the basics and experimenting along the way. It's a big, exciting project, but let's get comfortable with a long timeline.

[Behemoth]

For what it's worth, consider offering to teach a class at churches. I am far from religious, but given where funding is going these days, churches are a big part of community outreach in a lot of neighborhoods -- many have after school and community programs already set up, and all have kitchens. (My tutoring was at a church after school program. I just walked in one day and volunteered to help kids with homework, and they were happy to have an extra hand.)

As for goals, It doesn't need to cover every need, and it doesn't need to be some giant social revolution. Just offer to teach what you know how to do, or ask them what they would like to know, and just put it out there for whomever is interested.

[crinoidgirl]

Please count me in on this project.

Our Dad died when I was six. We grew up living on his Social Security benefits and VA pension. We were the family in the neighborhood that got boxes of food at Thanksgiving and Christmas from the county sherrifs' charitable society.

Then I grew up and got a great job as an engineer for 25 years. Then lost that due to my little clinical depression problem. So I've gone from making a huge amount of money to living on unemployment now.

I've seen both sides, and food issues are very important to me. I've done a lot of volunteer work in the past (including organizing volunteer work for my department) along these lines.

Again, let me know what I can do to help, y'all.

[babka]

I'd suggest that we make contact with America's Second Harvest very early in the development process. They are the biggest hunger relief organization in the States with more than 200 regional food banks, and they've got more frontline personnel than anyone. In my experience covering food and poverty issues, they've consistently been my best source of information, contacts, and referrals to specialists who can help me. And while they themselves don't do this kind of work from headquarters, they're the ones to help us avoid Fat Guy's warning about "We can't allow ourselves to be some out-of-touch ivory-tower organization that lectures poor people inappropriately and tells them to do things they'll never do. We will need case studies, real understanding and a grass roots approach."

Their boiler plate description is below. If you'd like, I know the folks in their media office, and can ask for someone to put in contact with whomever is developing the materials.

America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a Network of more than 200 regional Member food banks and food-rescue programs serving all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The Network secures and distributes nearly two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The America’s Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 feeding agencies nationwide, including food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, and Kids Cafes. These local organizations provide emergency food assistance to 23 million hungry Americans, including more than nine million children and nearly three million seniors each year. 

[crinoidgirl]

I'd suggest that we make contact with America's Second Harvest very early in the development process.  They are the biggest hunger relief organization in the States with more than 200 regional food banks, and they've got more frontline personnel than anyone.  In my experience covering food and poverty issues, they've consistently been my best source of information, contacts, and referrals to specialists who can help me.  And while they themselves don't do this kind of work from headquarters, they're the ones to help us avoid Fat Guy's warning about "We can't allow ourselves to be some out-of-touch ivory-tower organization that lectures poor people inappropriately and tells them to do things they'll never do. We will need case studies, real understanding and a grass roots approach."

Their boiler plate description is below.  If you'd like, I know the folks in their media office, and can ask for someone to put in contact with whomever is developing the materials.

America’s Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization with a Network of more than 200 regional Member food banks and food-rescue programs serving all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The Network secures and distributes nearly two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. The America’s Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 feeding agencies nationwide, including food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, and Kids Cafes. These local organizations provide emergency food assistance to 23 million hungry Americans, including more than nine million children and nearly three million seniors each year. 

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I agree. I've primarily worked with Gleaners Community Food Bank here in SE Michigan. They helped found America’s Second Harvest. This would be a good hookup.

[chefreit]

I know I read somewhere in some Egullet thing, maybe it was the Mission Statement or something that egullet is interested in or does organize cooking classes for low income people. It was something about some culinary education outreach. Did I imagine reading this?

Does anyone know anything about this? I'm asking because I've been wanting to get involved in something like this for a long time. Maybe I should I email one of the site administrators, but I have no idea who.

←

I have actually worked with vocational culinary programs for the blind.

They did their externship in our kitchens. Currently I'm working with a culinary program for mentally challenged teens. If there is anyway we can help please feel free to contact us.

Harry Reiter

District Chef

Vice President-Area 314 North Chef Association

Sodexho Healthcare Services

hreiter@trinitas.org

Voice: 908.994.5000 ext 4088

Fax: 908.994.5319

[andiesenji]

All of these ideas are great. Contact with outreach organizations is the first base to touch as they already know what is going on in the community and know who needs (and who wants) help.

I can tell you from personal experience that some people do not want help even though they need it and it takes a careful and diplomatic approach to get them to participate in such activities.

Many senior citizen centers have good cooking facilities and often have shuttle service that will pick up seniors and return them to their homes.

Another resource is the VFW, they have facilities in many places with kitchens and meeting rooms and they are organized.

The service organizations such as the Elks, Moose, Rotary, etc., are also a good resource as many of their members are active in community affairs and I have found them to be endlessly helpful. In some communities the Chamber of Commerce will also be very helpful.

A list of the things that need to be included in the instructions, along with the necessary implements to do what needs to be done should be the first project. Also, contact with community leaders who can help with certain roadblocks. Some municipalities do not allow restaurants to donate foods that are not served to patrons to organizations that distribute it to the needy. They are required by law to throw it away, which I have always though is absolutely ridiculous and an obscene waste of good food.

Education on basic homemaking principles is also very important. Two years ago an entire family here in Lancaster died from carbon monoxide poisoning because they were using charcoal braziers in their home both for cooking and heating as their utilities had been turned off for non-payment.

They were immigrants who apparently did not realize that the houses here seal tighter than those in their homeland where most people use these things.

Also instructions have to be given orally for a lot of these people because there are a great many who cannot read, many immigrants understand and speak English but cannot read it.

One last suggestion.

It might be helpful to contact Homes for Humanity. Many of the homes that are built as part of this program are in the most disadvantaged areas and the recipients are, for the most part, eager to pass on help to others and in turn become volunteers with this organization and in their community.

It might be advantageous to contact some of these people who could be instructed in how to teach others in their neighborhoods who need help with learning to prepare nutritious foods.

[chefzadi]

Don't post often, but this thread hit a nerve.

Lived on a barebones budget for several years, hardly every bought prepared food.  And was always amazed when the folks with food stamps (we never applied) were buying the frozen and boxed stuff.

Really appreciate all of the ideas, including the outreach.

Believe there is another opportunity to help, all children should be made to take a cooking class, or classes, in school.

What could be a more important aim in a child's education than to teach someone how to feed him/herself and the family on basic, and generally cheap, foodstuff.

People just have to be taught how to do that, and the best way, in the long run, is to teach the kids.

And it can only be done, I believe, in the schools.  Have believed that for years.

How eGullet could help make this happen, I have no idea.

But there are a lot of smart people here.

Just a thought.

←

I work for the LAUSD as a "Chef in the Classroom". It's part of the district's nutrition network. The idea is to encourage kids to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables by teaching them "fun" recipes. The recipe guidelines are strict, but the project is simple enough for me because it involve fresh ingredients and I'm very comfortable working with kids. I also volunteer coach pee wee league soccer.

There is also a Shelter at a church that wants some sort of program like this. This is something that I really want to do. But for reasons I've already mentioned I need more support before I start this. I can teach French techniques blind folded with one arm tied behing my back. I know how to manage food costs in a high end restaurant (order the foie gras, cook it right, plate it nice, her's the bill ) But I have absolutely no experience cooking with the types of ingredients that the families at the shelters have access too. I'll just have to practice this a little.

I'll be back a little later with some more ideas and suggestions on why we can realistically get started fairly quickly with volunteers efforts and how this can evolve slowly into something hugely significant.

[srhcb]

MFK Fisher's "How to Cook a Wolf" contains both practical information and a philosophical perspective on the subject.

[chefzadi]

I've been contacted by someone from the headquarters of a MAJOR grocery chain asking me for resources for cooking classes they want to start for disadvanged youth. Ummm... one of the most obvious ones is right here in front of me, in front of all of us...

[fifi]

I have followed this topic with great interest. I may have posted this before but here goes anyway.

Over the holidays, my daughter and I spent a week or so with my son in Chicago. One of our holiday activities was to join him at the food bank where he volunteers weekly. The drill was, the clients filled out a sheet requesting items from the list of what was available that week. We, being newbies, had the task of filling the market baskets for their eventual check-out. I was impressed with the quality of the food available. I would say that 90% of it was fresh or frozen but well chosen. I started playing this head game of what I could do with a particular order, keeping in mind all kinds of limitations in cooking facilities and equipment. I still found that I could use my cooking experience to make those groceries go really far. It was a fun game. And I was itching to regale the recipients with suggestions but I had no knowledge of their circumstances and I was not on my turf.

Now, what to do with that? I started wondering if something as simple as a handout with suggestions on what to do with what was available that week might not be a start. When I say handout, I mean a one page really simple thing. It has to assume that the facilities will be really basic or a little less. Perhaps that is something we could do. If we could get a list of typical offerings of the food banks in our areas, eG folks could contribute ideas that could end up with a page or two of instructions. Think of contributing how to make that chicken into three meals. That is just one idea.

Will that reach everyone? No. Will it reach those who have other problems like illiteracy? No. Will it reach the folks with no utilities? No. But, we have a wake up saying where I work when we try to start trying to do too much at once: "We aren't going to solve World Hunger." *irony* The message being that you can't do everything at once and you can get into being paralyzed into doing nothing by not being able to do it all. You have to start somewhere.

Having seen the wonder that is eGCI, I have no doubt that this incredible gathering of talent and experience will come up with something good.

[RebeccaT]

I think this is an outstanding idea. I worked in an inner-city elementary school when I lived in Atlanta, and it was so disheartening to see the malnutrition. I mean, you can *see* it... the white dusty film around their mouth, the lack of lustre in their skin and hair... it was awful. And the free breakfast and lunches they received at school? French toast sticks, chicken tenders, jello. Nothing green, or really of any color other than khaki.

I am a member of the Junior League here in Houston (don't laugh, I got rid of my white gloves long ago). One of the programs we have is a basic nutrition training program coupled with a sort of "medical care on wheels" program for some of the least-privileged schools in the area. I would love to add a program for parents to this nutrition program, so I will be watching this thread (and eCGI) with interest.

[chefzadi]

I will keep all updated on what I have brewing as it unfolds. By the way the Major retailer I mentioned, I am on good terms with them on a regional level. But the person at the headquarters found me through another forum where I discussed the same topic. If there is one thing that's certain about the "power of the web" is the speed at which information travels.

Of course I am also eagerly awaiting Egullets course.

[TJHarris]

I just came across this thread for the first time. I am in SE Michigan and would be very interested in helping with/ presenting classes in my area. Please keep me in the loop and I will do whatever I can.

[mklynch]

I've been teaching cooking classes for the Oregon Food Bank for the last year. We teach basic cooking skills, nutrition, shopping and menu planning as well as sanitation. The program has been developed by Share Our Strength and is targeted at several different groups. The first class I was involved in was 3 - 5th graders and was taught in their school lunch kitchen after school. I'm now teaching 17 - 24 yr old women involved in a JobCorps program, and it's held at the food bank. There are even programs for seniors. I believe the food bank here holds 60 classes a year.

We cook a meal together, talking about the lesson plan as we go, eat together and each participant gets a grocery bag with the ingredients for the entree to go home and cook with. The next week, we talk about what everyone did and changes they made and cook again.

One of the women in a class came in saying she only knew how to open a cereal bag and at the end was recounting all the things she learned. She was really affected by the class and I was too! We focus on affordable (often vegetarian) nutritious, low fat foods with good leftover potential, but also teach how to cut up and cook a chicken.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I would suggest people interested in this contact Share Our Strength about the program and see if it makes sense in your case.

[snowangel]

One of the women in a class came in saying she only knew how to open a cereal bag and at the end was recounting all the things she learned. She was really affected by the class and I was too!  We focus on affordable (often vegetarian) nutritious, low fat foods with good leftover potential, but also teach how to cut up and cook a chicken.

←

I remember well a day when we lived in our former house -- in a very racially and economically diverse neighborhood. I befriended my closest neighbors -- all living on close to a poverty level. None of the women drove. I offer this next bit if info just as description -- not judgement. One was a Hispanic immigrant, one a Hmong immigrant, one a young white woman. The immigrants were fairly recent immigrants, and communication was difficult. The white woman came from a painful background, shuttled from relative to relative. She had never cooked anything that wasn't out of a box in the microwave or on top of the stove in a saucepan or microwave. She never saw anyone else every cook any other way.

So, one day, I offer to take these three women to the grocery store. The immigrant women wanted to stop at two stores -- the local Asian market and the supermarket.

At the end of the expedition, after everyone had put their groceries away, I invited them over, mostly to steal cooking tips from two of them.

What Molly couldn't believe was how much more food they had gotten for their dollars, and couldn't figure out what they would do the ingredients. Fresh vegetables. Odd cuts of inexpensive meats. Bags of peppers, cilantro, basil, rice, dried beans.

As the three women and I talked, it came out that the two immigrant women didn't know what to do with a frozen waffle. Molly didn't know what to do with a fresh veg. She had never been taught. The other two women had been taught to cook from the time they were knee-high to a grasshopper. By watching, participating. The next time I was at Goodwill dropping stuff off, I picked up a Sunbeam waffle maker ($2.00!) for Molly, and taught her how to make waffles.

The last time I saw Molly, she had deep-sixed her dead-beat husband, was living my herself with her kids, and she and the other two women were getting together once a week to learn each others' cooking, and Molly said that outside of basic pantry staples, everything she was making was from scratch. She said her nails were growing better, her hair was shinier. She just felt better, and felt her girls were doing better in school, had better attention and focus. She wasn't sure if this was because of her new living situation or food, but figures that the food was a big part of it.

For those who have access to food, I believe that a part of the problem of nutrition is education. How to make things. How to use appliances. We learn from experience. Although my mother was not a great cook, she cooked. She tried new things. She set an example. My kids are getting a great education from just being in my kitchen.

[chefzadi]

Mklynch-

Cooking a meal together is pretty much how all cooking classe go. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel. We're trying to give the wheel to more people. All suggestions of resources are more than welcomed and will be utilized as needed.

[RebeccaT]

snowangel, thank you for sharing your experience. How amazing (yet not surprising) that the simple act of cooking can bring people together and, truly, provide strength.

[chefzadi]

A librarian contacted me suggesting that local libraries are great venues for community outreach programs. (I know it may seem obvious to some of you) but it just never occured to me to contact a library about teaching cooking and nutrition. I think it's an especially good place to reach children/youth. Encouraging reading and good nutrition at the same time.

[winebabe]

Chefzadi

Several years ago, I participated in a project under the auspices of Share our Strength called "operation frontline". It was partially funded by American Express and Kraft. Initially, they went out to the local chef community and recruited notables such as Rick Bayless and Michael Kornik to go out to the community, mostly boys and girls clubs, after school programs, WIC centers, and battered women's shelters to teach basic cooking and grocery shopping skills. Initial interest was high in the restaurant community becuase of the publicity boost that many chefs got for their restaurants. Few were as commited as they should have been with the exception of Susan Goss, then at Zinfandel and now at West Town Tavern. The program stayed alive with the commitment of people like her and the program director, who moved out of the area when she was accepted to a PhD program on the east cost. Nicole was the only paid employee of the organization and her job was to schedule the classes and to to the shopping. It was a set curriculum and all we had to do was show up once a week and teach the class. It couldn't have been any easier for us. Most of the "celebrity" chefs made an appearance or two and relegated the remainder of the course to their "assistants", people like me. Eventually, we took over and continued the program for as long as we could but when Nicole left, it was difficult for us to continue, as we all had conflicts and time constraints. It was one of the most rewarding things I ever did.

Kraft subsidized the Kids cooking classes and you may try to contact someone in their community outreach division to see if they have some materials for you to use. They were then basing the class on the old food pyramid but since that has now been revised, you would have to do some adjustments. Each week, we would prepare something new, and the children actively participated. We made things like vegetable alphabet soup, vegetable pizzas, spaghetti, oatmeal cookies, and other things with the focus being on nutrution rich, low fat, fresh foods. Snacks were provided which were always natural fruit juices and fresh fruit and vegetables.

The adult classes focused more on the preparation of healthy and economical meals. One of the classes was a field trip to the grocery store to learn how to read lables, compare prices, the difference between buying lets say a package of chicken breasts as opposed to an entire chicken and cutting it up yourself. Not only the cost savings, but the ability to generate several meals out of one chicken.

I hope this is good information for you to use. If you have any quesions, feel free to email and I can help you as best I can. I may even be able to locate some old course materials.

Good luck. This is a great idea and the rewards will be more than you can imagine.

The kids were a joy and for many of them, this was the closest they got to ever having a home cooked meal.

[chefzadi]

I did a cooking class at an elementary school in South Los Angeles. It's a low income area. I went to the class dressed in "uniform", chef's whites, black trousers, dress shoes and toque (I thought the kids would get a kick out the toque). Sure enough they went nuts for me. It seems that the iconic image of a French chef is more widespread than I thought. They acted like there were meeting a "character" of sorts, almost like Elmo or something. They all had kid's sized toques on which they all asked me to autograph and at the end of the class they fought over who would get mine. They were all so cute and sweet. I had a blast.

Anyway this is what we made and they loved the food. I can't use dairy products for insurance purposes hence the soy products. And the idea is the get the kids to eat 5-9 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day.

Vegetable quesadillas with flour tortillas, a little bit of soy cheese, corn, tomatoes and avacadoes (good, natural fat). No added oil.

Yogurt parfaits with vanilla flavored soy yogurt (I didn't want to scare them off to healthy eating by giving them plain yogurt, because it's about making "better" choices, not always perfect ones) with bananas, mangoes and grapes.

They ate it all up and didn't even realize that it was good for them. I made copies of the recipes for the teacher to send home with the kids. But now that I think about it I should have had it translated into Spanish as well.

As for the nutrition education portion, I didn't bother explaining to them about different the nutritional value of this or that specifically. I told them to eat a range of different colored veg/fruits.

We all had a great time.

EDIT: With the recipes I sent home I gave a list of subsitutions for the ingredients.

Edited February 18, 2005 by chefzadi (log)

[jgm]

I've always wanted to do something like this in my community, and I'm going to do some checking around to find out what may already be in place.

Meanwhile, I'm having memories of my early days, when I was just out of college and earning a meager living. I had to budget carefully to afford toothpaste when I needed it. I was fortunate to have a job with an organization that had a cafeteria, and the food there was good and was sold to us at cost, so the price was very reasonable.

One of the hurdles I remember, besides not knowing much about cooking, was not being able to afford even dried herbs and spices. It made no sense to me to purchase a bottle of a dried herb at the grocery store for $4.95, especially knowing that since I lived by myself and would likely not use it all before it became stale.

So my point is, that in addition to teaching people how to cook, budget, etc., we also need to personalize the lessons to our own communities. We have at least a couple of stores here that sell bulk herbs and spices. You can measure out however much you want into a plastic bag, and purchase only that amount. One of these stores, a health food store, also sells things like oatmeal, beans, lentils, and nuts in bulk, and once again, you buy only as much as you need. But most of my friends have no idea this is available, because they shop only at the big chains. Both of these stores are on major bus routes, and readily accessible to someone who doesn't have transportation.

When people begin to cook, there is so much they need to buy, that we don't even think about because we take it for granted. Stuff like plastic wrap, aluminum foil, storage containers, tools. As we begin to formulate plans to bring these cooking lessons to our own communities, it would also be helpful to include sources for bulk items and low cost items. And we have to keep in mind, as has been mentioned previously, that some people will not have the ability, the time, or the energy to shop at multiple stores, so some strategies for helping people to work together and help each other might be good, too.

[jgm]

Here's an example of someone who's really making this happen. The venue is somewhat different than we've been discussing here, but it's still an act of reaching disadvantaged people:

Doing time in the kitchen