Hunger Task Force Celebrates Culture Through Cuisine for Immigrant Heritage Month
Immigrant Heritage Month is observed every June to recognize the rich cultures and societal contributions of immigrants throughout the United States. Hunger Task Force is proud to celebrate a variety of cultures through our community nutrition program. We sat down with Carmen Baldwin, NDTR, Community Nutrition Manager, and Leah Kostos, RDN and CPT, Community Nutrition Organizer, to discuss this important work and recognition.
Q: A major aspect of Hunger Task Force’s community nutrition program is celebrating the different types of cuisines that the people we serve like to enjoy. Why is that such a big aspect of the work you do?
A: Our slogan is Your Plate. A healthy meal is one that nourishes your body and reflects community. Through our program, we tie in cultural preferences with recipe development to provide instruction on how to make low-budget and healthy meals that reflect the variety of cultures in the communities we serve. Our programming aims to introduce people to new cultures through cuisine. We know that people gravitate to foods that are familiar to them and that looks different for every culture. Food can also unite cultures and is a big way we at Hunger Task Force celebrate the backgrounds of the people we serve.
Q: How does the community nutrition team diversify the different recipes in nutrition education to reflect the communities Hunger Task Force serves?
A: A keyway we do so is by teaming up with our colleagues working on the Hunger Task Force Farm to incorporate the fresh produce they’re growing for our community into our nutrition education classes and recipes. We also operate a Student Garden at the Farm where we grow more than 20 varieties of fresh produce with the help of students from Milwaukee Public Schools. At the Hunger Task Force Farm, our dedicated farmers, with help from community volunteers, grow more than 25 varieties of fresh produce that reflect the rich cultures of the communities we serve. A few ingredients we’re working to incorporate into our recipes are jalapeno peppers, Thai eggplant and bok choy. Through our community nutrition classes, we experiment with ingredients to create diverse dishes like Thai eggplant curry and Dan Dan noodles.
Q: Why is it so important to the nutrition education team to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month?
A: As a team, we learn so much from the diverse population we connect with through our nutrition education. It’s so important to ask questions, celebrate different cultures and educate ourselves because we grow as a community when we understand what makes us thrive. At the end of the day, we are all people and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Celebrating important times of the year like Immigrant Heritage Month brings awareness to our diverse population in Wisconsin and makes sure people know they are important and recognized.
Q: How does the nutrition education team encourage community members to be open to trying new things and even replicating new recipes at home?
A: For many people in our nutrition education classes, it’s encouraging them to simply try our recipes. We’ve found that when people sample a dish they are pleasantly surprised by how flavorful certain ingredients are. Openness is key! Ingredients taste different depending on how they’re prepared. All our recipes are designed to be low-budget and easy to make at home. Also, most ingredients are available in our pantry network or grown on our farm, so people can grab them at their nearest food pantry.
Hunger Task Force operates a robust nutrition education program that teaches students, parents and the public about healthy eating, culturally responsive foods, cooking, gardening, shopping on a budget, physical wellness and much more. We also work to create policies, systems and environmental changes throughout our community that promote healthy lifestyles. We don’t just feed our community – we also advocate for and educate our students, older adults and families about making healthy choices!
