Claremore Residents Treated to a Cooking Class

Claremore’s First United Methodist Church hosted a cooking class for their food pantry recipients on Thursday, September 1. Northeast Oklahoma Foodbank chefs Jeff Marlow and Jeremy Johnson provided a cooking demonstration, preparing and serving turkey tacos. All participants received the recipe and a bag containing the recipe’s ingredients so they could prepare the meal at home for their families. Rogers County’s TSET Healthy Living Program also provided salad shakers to all in attendance to encourage healthy living on the go. Chef Marlow educated the group on many ways to cook and eat healthier without spending a lot of money or sacrificing taste. The chef incorporated grated sweet potatoes into the dish to encourage participants to include more vegetables in their diet. Participants were enthusiastic about the program and stated they would enjoy having more classes like this one.

This was a pilot class for a health improvement project of the Healthy Behaviors Workgroup in Rogers County. The workgroup’s goal is to reach out to all Rogers County food pantry participants by offering a class to teach preparation of healthier meals. Claremore’s First United Methodist Church was chosen as the pilot project. Evaluations and feedback from this initial group will help with offering future classes at other Rogers County sites.