Food for the soul: promoting Latinx community health through culturally sensitive programming in Monroe County

Screenshot from a virtual session of Monroe County 4-H’s CCE Mindful Cooking Program.

For PRYDE Scholar Abby Morales, the phrase food for the soul has special significance-one that has ties to her fondest memories of growing up as a child and watching her family members cook for one another as an act of love. In the spring of 2022, Abby was inspired by her philosophy regarding the restorative power of cooking to revive a community nutrition program for Latinx families in Monroe County. 

The Mindful Cooking Program was originally established through a partnership between Monroe County 4-H’s CCE SNAP-Ed Program, the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School (EMHCS), and former PRYDE Scholar Isabella Lombardo, HBHS ‘21. These virtual cooking classes taught families a series of healthy recipes. Although the classes had a nutritional focus, they also provided valuable spaces for connection during the isolating COVID-19 environment. This year, Abby worked with Damaris Ortega, Parent Community Educator at EMHCS, Iluminada Vilca, a bilingual Nutrition Educator, and Megan Kelly, 4-H AmeriCorps VISTA, to continue the partnership that Isabella began. Their program combines mindfulness activities with cooking to support the Latinx community’s mental and nutritional health. 

Through the partnership, Abby was able to synthesize her passion for cooking and community empowerment. Abby said, “Adding heart to a recipe to make the dish come alive is a concept I learned growing up watching my family cook. I felt mindfulness connected to cooking because just as food nourishes the mind, the process of creating dishes for loved ones can nourish the soul.” By incorporating her values of familism and caring for her community, Abby hoped to deliver a culturally-sensitive intervention. She connected this approach to the scientific literature, noting, “Studies have established that practicing gratitude and mindfulness reduces anxiety and emotional reactivity, while increasing concentration and positive affect. Combining these practices into the cooking process that families across the U.S., including mine, perform on a daily basis seemed beneficial in promoting psychological well-being.” 

In addition to teaching parents and children tools for practicing mindfulness, the program also educates families on important nutrition concepts, such as knowledge of food groups and dietary guidelines and tips on incorporating alternative sources of protein, such as tofu, in traditional Latin recipes. Damaris Ortega commented that “the parents involved were committed and held themselves accountable to joining weekly,” and “applied all that was learned,” describing a meaningful experience for participating families. To connect with families, Abby was able to draw upon her cultural background and childhood experiences of eating her family’s food for the soul to support CCE educators’ nutritional programming. 

For more information on Monroe County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension Nutrition Programs, visit their website here.