Community Action for Healthy Eating

Cooking Classes

The Department of Health encouraged SPAN to apply to NLHHP for funding to support the cookbook as well as cooking classes. In 1993/4, SPAN conducted free cooking classes - 3 hours a week for 6 weeks. Macpherson Junior High School supported them by providing access to the home economics cooking facility. NLHHP paid for a nutritionist to help SPAN develop the classes. The program included: participation in class cooking, nutrition education as class progresses, healthy eating on a budget, principles for healthy eating, shopping smarts, heart smart choices, budget wise choices, focus on children, shopping tour, and food safety.

The cooking classes provided SPAN with an opportunity to learn how to work with people on healthy eating. Organizers developed their strategies and ways of working to meet participants' preferences. These learnings helped SPAN's move to Community Kitchens. Indeed, the success of Community Kitchens grows out of SPAN's experiences with the cooking classes.

SPAN encountered challenges for the cooking classes, including people's time commitments, transportation, and issues of empowerment. People had time commitments which limited their involvement in cooking classes. SPAN helped parents by providing child care. However, some people were too busy with work to participate. Transportation was a challenge because few participants had cars & classes were not in their neighborhoods. SPAN volunteers overcame this obstacle by carpooling.

A significant challenge was the potentially disempowering nature of classes. When people have not had a positive experience with the education system, they tend to be turned off by anything called a "class." Another issue was the power dynamic between students and instructors in classes. Few adults enjoy being in roles where they only receive knowledge and do not have opportunities to draw on their experiences. Community Kitchens Helped to address these empowerment issues.