Cooking as a Family: A Delicious Recipe for Health and Happiness

Nutrition is a crucial element of maintaining overall health, yet many individuals struggle with adopting healthy eating habits. Factors such as socioeconomic barriers, lack of culinary skills, and insufficient nutritional knowledge can hinder one’s ability to make nutritious choices. Recognizing this need for improved nutritional education, Dr. Ethan Ritter, a physician at UK HealthCare, sought to find a way to empower his patients to make lasting changes to their diets. Through his collaboration with the Healthy Kentucky Initiative, Ritter was introduced to Jacqui Denegri, a Nutritional Education Program Assistant at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Fayette County Extension Office.

Determined to make a difference in the community, Ritter and Denegri developed the „Cook Together, Eat Together“ curriculum, focusing on easy, budget-friendly, and healthy family meals. The importance of family dinners in promoting children’s health and well-being cannot be understated, as research suggests that regular family meals can lead to healthier eating habits, lower rates of obesity, and decreased likelihood of experiencing conditions such as depression and anxiety. Cooking together as a family not only instills healthy kitchen habits and preserves family traditions but also imparts valuable skills and knowledge about nutrition.

With the goal of making cooking enjoyable and educational, Ritter, Denegri, and the Healthy Kentucky Team launched the „Families in the Kitchen/Las Familias en la Cocina“ series of community cooking classes. These classes, offered in both English and Spanish, provided participants with hands-on experience in preparing healthy, flavorful, and affordable meals. The program received positive feedback from participants like Alejandro Arande, who praised the culturally tailored approach and credited the program with improving his energy levels and overall well-being.

The pilot series of classes, held at The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, included a fitness component led by Maranda Brooks, a family and consumer science extension agent. Participants had the opportunity to engage in physical activities that were fun, diverse, and culturally inclusive. The success of the program highlighted the benefits of collaboration between Cooperative Extension’s community programming and healthcare professionals dedicated to promoting wellness.

Due to the positive reception of the initial sessions, Ritter and Denegri plan to launch another round of „Families in the Kitchen“ classes starting in September. The program aims to provide more families with the tools and skills needed to enhance their health and well-being through nutritious eating and physical activity. By creating a nurturing environment where families can learn and grow together, the program embodies the values of community health and wellness.

For those interested in participating in the upcoming session of „Families in the Kitchen,“ registration information can be found on the provided link. The Healthy Kentucky Initiative continues to advocate for prevention and wellness efforts to improve the health of all Kentuckians. For more information on UK HealthCare’s Community Commitment and how to get involved, visit the provided website or contact the team via email.