Whether you are a seasoned home cook or you’re navigating new culinary waters, a cooking class is a wonderful way to invest in yourself.
“Cooking classes are a great way to rediscover foods you love or find new ways to cook as your life changes,” says Nikkia Rhodes, wellness coordinator at Trager Institute Culinary Medicine Kitchen.
The benefits of a cooking class don’t just include yummier meals: There are cognitive, social, and physical benefits as well.
When you are learning new recipes or techniques, you are flexing your memory and focus muscles. Classes also engage your fine motor skills as you chop, stir, and use small kitchen utensils.
And while cooking at home can be a solitary activity, in a cooking class, you get the chance to socialize with others as you prepare the meal. Food is often entwined with our personal stories. These stories and traditions can be shared as you cook in community.
You can also learn new skills that may be required for changes in your lifestyle. New dietary needs might require you to reinvent your go-to meals. Cooking classes can help you figure out ways to meet these new requirements without sacrificing flavor. The way in which you cook may also shift. Cooking for a large family may no longer serve your needs, and a class can help you adapt your preparation for a smaller household.
The Culinary Medicine Kitchen at the University of Louisville’s Trager Institute offers a wide variety of cooking classes that are ideal for older adults navigating changes in their kitchen. Hands-on and demonstration courses cover topics such as cooking for one, cooking on a budget, and managing diets with special health concerns. “We want to help educate people on nutrition and empower them to make lifestyle changes,” Nikkia says.
Classes in the Culinary Medicine Kitchen offer participants the opportunity to cook, clean, connect with others, and have an educational experience. “We encourage people to come in curious about how they can switch things up,” Nikkia says. “We want them to leave with tools to improve their diet. We want to create a safe space where people can be comfortable and come as you are.” She adds that the classes are wheelchair accessible.
By Tami Pyles | Photos by Melissa Donald
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