Family Food Security and Nutrition in Weed has scheduled a series of healthy and nutritious cooking classes that are free for food pantry recipients and those who qualify.
There are eight classes from now through September, all on Saturdays from 3 to 5 p.m. These classes help people learn how to make fast, affordable, and healthy meals.
All participants receive a booklet with everything they will need for lifelong skills. In each class, people will be able to taste the recipes, enjoy interactive and hands-on activities, learn fast, affordable, and healthy meals, and discover home remedies and healthy tricks.
Now in its second year, the program has up to 70 seats available. Instructor and education coordinator Kelly Dearie says, “Come on an empty stomach.”
Classes have been extended this year thanks to additional funding. The next class — Sourdough — is April 11th. Each participant will be able to take home sourdough starter and flour. In May, the class focuses on microgreens and sprouts, and everyone takes home a sprouting kit. The June class covers fermentation of pickles and sauerkraut, with a jar of kraut to take home. July’s class is the second part of fermentation, featuring beet kvass, kefir, and probiotic sodas — attendees take home a kombucha scoby and kvass. The August class is on dehydration and solar cooking, and September wraps up the series with preserving and canning fruit.
Expanded funding this year comes from a grant through Dignity/CommonSpirit, which makes it possible to implement a new digital class portal featuring all the curriculum for online classes and a video forum for remote support. This opens up availability for people who cannot attend in person.
Those who want to take the class but do not qualify for Siskiyou Food Assistance are asked for a $30 donation per class to help cover materials — but no one is turned away.
All classes except the Sourdough class will be held at the Weed Community Center. The April sourdough class will be held at the Food Pantry at 780 S. Davis Ave., Weed, CA.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Kelly Dearie by email at [email protected] or by phone at (530) 408-6115.
