The University of Missouri Extension in Howell County's programs are ramping back up after classes and programs were postponed due to the pandemic.
Stephanie Johnson, county engagement specialist in nutrition and health education at University of Missouri Extension in Howell County, said after having to postpone classes over the past year, programs and courses are picking back up.
Johnson on Thursday led a class, “Cooking Matters,” where participants learned about healthy cooking and prepared black bean brownies and pizza for lunch.
She said the six-week course teaches residents about healthy cooking on a budget. The course covers nutrition principles, meal planning, shopping tips and cooking activities.
Johnson said course participants also take home a bag of groceries at the end of each class to make the meals from scratch at home.
She noted that the social aspect of the class is important since it allows community members to get out of the house and be around others as they gather ingredients for the meal, prepare the meal, and then share the meal.
The hands-on grant-funded Cooking Matters program also offers nutrition information, ideas for saving time in the kitchen, handouts, recipes, and practice tips for comparison shopping, which helps community members identify healthy foods and affordable ways to make healthier food choices at the grocery store.
According to Johnson, all activities and recipes included in the course are designed to be accessible and affordable for individuals and families.
To learn more about the Cooking Matters course and other programs offered by the University of Missouri Extension in Howell County, visit extension.missouri.edu/counties/howell.
