Prairie Ridge Drop-In Center Participants
“I taught the nutrition program Buy. Eat. Live Healthy to a group of 5 individuals at the local Prairie Ridge Drop-In Center. This group consisted of various age ranges and individuals regularly utilized the services of the Drop-In Center. Most members of the group shared some common concerns which included food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty. A couple members mentioned going to the local food bank and utilizing the free fridge at the drop-in center. Members also, mentioned due to homelessness looking for easy food options and not always having a space too cook food.
Throughout the Buy. Eat. Live Healthy Program we would try and make recipes that required fewer cooking resources and ones where similar food items could be found at the local food bank. Some of the favorite recipes included Cowboy Caviar, fruit and pudding dessert, and lentil tacos. The group was shocked at how easy it was to make lentil tacos and how this was still a great way to get protein. While making each of these recipes we would discuss anything the participants would change about the recipe and how we could complete the meal by adding in other food groups. The participants would even share recipes that they were making on their own with the class.
After class participants were able to take simple ingredients to make more filling recipes and learned how to complete the meal such as when we made lentil tacos.”