To the Editor:
Re “Make Food Choices Simple: Cook” (column, July 2):
Amid a national debate about the food supply, Mark Bittman rightly shines a spotlight on the issue of demand. Over 17 years of teaching low-income families across the country how to prepare healthy and affordable meals, we’ve learned that a little education leads to a lot more nutritious food choices.
Seven out of 10 graduates of our Cooking Matters for Adults program eat more whole grains. They eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water and choose low-fat or fat-free dairy more often.
Participants take home recipes that help them stretch their food dollar and provide the best nourishment possible to their families. We know that they’re using what they learn in class, because more than 80 percent report making Cooking Matters recipes at home.
Cooking is a skill that lasts a lifetime, and it empowers people to make more nutritious food choices at home or away.
JANET McLAUGHLIN
Director, Cooking Matters
Share Our Strength
Washington, July 6, 2011
Note from KBJ: Do you know how to cook? Do you like to cook? What's better: a home-cooked meal or a meal in a restaurant? Is cooking undervalued? If so, why?
