Abstract
A team of faculty, staff, and students at Appalachian State University is designing online nutrition education and cooking classes for food insecure students. This “Cooking with Purpose” program is coordinated by the Office of Sustainability in collaboration with faculty across the campus at the Nexus of sustainability, budget, nutrition, waste, and community. CwP selects a 20-student cohort each semester, and we prioritize students who use our campus food pantries. We hold five meetings per semester. To establish personal relationships and a community, the first meeting/cooking demonstration is in-person. The next three cooking classes are held via Zoom, with ingredient and equipment lists distributed a week in advance. Students have the option to shop at the campus food pantry if they are unable to procure the equipment or ingredients. The recipes are chosen to integrate inexpensive, sustainable ingredients with unique flavors and methods that are cooked in ways to minimize time and energy consumption. Building on the established community from the first gathering, students and facilitators cook, each in their own kitchens, and share their results via Zoom. The final meeting is again in-person and serves as a celebration for the completion of the program. We have experimented with various incentives for students to remain engaged. We are excited to expand this program beyond students to include alumni and community members, requesting a donation to help ensure the financial sustainability of the program. IRB-approved survey data shows that Cooking with Purpose has already had a positive impact on Appalachian students.
Presenters
Carla RamsdellPractitioner in Residence, Physics and Astronomy, Appalachian State University, North Carolina, United States Sherry Nikbakht
Senior Lecturer, Mathematical Sciences, Appalachian State University, North Carolina, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Sustainable, Food, Online, Course, Collaborative, Nutrition
