When it comes to cooking, it can be a challenge to balance creating meals that are healthy, tasty and budget friendly all at the same time.
But Lowndes County Recreation Department and Mississippi State University Extension Service’s HappyHealthy campaign are partnering to help county residents do just that, bringing a six-week course to community centers throughout Lowndes County.
MSU Extension Northeast Regional Registered Dietitian Samantha Willcutt said the Cooking Matters course is a part of a national program originally from the nonprofit Share Our Strength. MSU Extension has been bringing the program throughout the state, to help Mississippians learn cooking skills, she said.
“The participants learn about what is nutritious, but you know, most of us kind of have a good idea about that already,” Willcutt said. “More than that, they learn and practice and become empowered to create these healthy meals for their families.”
The six-week program includes two-hour sessions about healthy food choices, food security, food safety and how to manage a food budget, according to a press release from the Lowndes County Recreation Department.
The course also includes information on proper knife techniques, reading ingredient labels, using different forms of fruits and vegetables and making a healthy meal for a family of four on a $10 budget, according to the MSU Extension website.
While the course provides participants with information on food, Willcutt said it also provides hands-on experience, as participants practice making recipes, which they can sample at the end of the session. Throughout the course, Willcutt said, participants also get some input into what they want to learn that would best fit their families’ needs.
Cooking Matters courses and other related events have been moving between different Lowndes County community centers over the past few years.
The program came to the Artesia Community Center earlier this fall, Recreation Deputy Director Velek told The Dispatch Wednesday, and it will be moving to Crawford Community Center starting in February.
Velek said sign-ups for the course at the Crawford Community Center are open now. Those interested in participating in the program can contact Pam Stallings at (662) 574-4180.
Other Cooking Matters for Adults classes are also slated to come to the Concord Community Center and Plum Grove Community Center in 2025.
Velek said the program is a part of a greater push from the recreation department to not just focus on “bats and balls,” but to provide education on overall health and wellness to the county.
“We are really focused on how these community centers that we have spread out across the entire county, from Caledonia and New Hope to smaller towns like Plum Grove and Crawford, can be impactful, and things they can do to provide not only activities, but education to the communities they serve,” Velek said.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
