A Recipe for Cooking Confidence

• Stuff one instructional kitchen with students
• Toss in one nutrition expert
• Chop into four separate cooking classes
• Sprinkle a pinch of veggies throughout
• Knead together
• Allow new knowledge and confidence to stew for approximately one semester

Cooking on campus just got easier. Last night marked the beginning of a series of monthly cooking classes held in the Student Recreation Center’s new instructional kitchen.

Each month, an hour-long class will teach students some basic ways to prepare healthy food. Taught by members of the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) and Hana Feeney, a Campus Health nutrition counselor, the first round of Cooking on Campus classes will focus primarily on students living on campus.

The series is a result of a partnership between Campus Rec, Campus Health and SHAC.

Ben Truong, a junior studying nutritional sciences and French, is the chair of SHAC’s Student Nutrition Coalition. Working closely with Feeney at Campus Health, Truong began developing the idea for campus cooking classes last semester.

“”We want students to gain more confidence in the kitchen,”” Truong said. “”We want people to realize they can cook. There are a lot of things you can do with a microwave.””

Emile Gordon, a junior and co-director of SHAC, believes that students living on campus will find this series valuable.

“”Dorm students eating unhealthily needs to be addressed,”” Gordon said. “”Students can learn to cook efficiently in the dorm, but it’s healthy.””

The first two classes focus on creative ways to use a microwave and what types of healthy ingredients can be found at Highland Market, U-Mart and the Park Student Union.

“”It’s pretty much the way you cook things,”” Truong said. “”We’re working with a dietician, and we’ll be incorporating vegetables.””

The remaining two classes extend the emphasis on basic cooking, but offer strategies that apply to students living off campus.  

“”Five Ingredient Meals”” provides recipes that require only — you guessed it — five ingredients. “”No Cook Cooking,”” the final class, does away with the idea that you need a stove or oven to create a culinary masterpiece.

“”Everything is going to be provided,”” said Arianna Morales, the recreation services coordinator. “”People will actually be cooking and getting to try the food.””

SHAC hopes that these classes will show students that eating healthy is not only doable, but also tasty.