Cooking Matters Updates Summer 2023

Things have been heating up this summer with Cooking Matters! The long-term goal has been to expand across Indiana to provide nutrition information to Hoosiers across the state, and Cooking Matters has officially launched the first satellite partner site in Lafayette. In partnership with Purdue Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School Program, Cooking Matters has been working to bring hands-on experiences to show how healthy eating can be affordable and flavorful. Be on the lookout, as more satellite sites are coming soon!

The expansion of satellite programs has been made possible in part with support from the State Department of Health through the Health Issues and Challenges grant. Along with developing these programs and new partnerships, the grant helped create a redesign of the Cooking Matters for Diabetes addendum. These are currently being distributed throughout Marion County programming, including classes with Riley Children’s Hospital.

While working on expanding Indiana satellite locations, Cooking Matters still has a great community in Marion County. So far in 2023, over 400 people have participated in the Cooking Matters Program. Megan Gendig, Cooking Matters Program Manager at Indy Hunger Network loves hearing the positive feedback from participants after completing the program.

“Everyone has shared that the program is a great opportunity to get ideas for meals they can make with their families, making it easier to prepare and more cost-effective,” Gendig said. “One participant was mentioning that the recipes helped her daughter become a more adventurous eater, and we always love exploring new recipes with lots of delicious flavors.”

Looking forward to the future of Cooking Matters, conversations will continue with new satellite partners to build a sustainable program across Indiana. Growing the network of organizations in the community will bring opportunities to educate families about robust nutrition and healthy eating.

“The resources and skills the participants gain from the program are tremendous and we hope to continue to build an impactful network to reach as many people as possible.” Gendig said.

If your organization is interested in becoming a partner with Cooking Matters, visit https://www.indyhunger.org/cooking-matters/.