Preparing Simple, Affordable, and Healthy Meals… !Si se puede!

By Elizabeth Carrillo, Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR

We’re a quarter way through 2016 and by now some of our New Year’s resolutions about healthy living may have dwindled a bit. As we wrap up National Nutrition Month, let’s remember that keeping your health in mind all year long begins with everyday choices. Here at NCLR we’ve been doing our part to improve the nutrition of Latinos nationwide through our Comprando rico y sano program since 2010.

Comprando rico y sano is a program led by promotores de salud (community health workers) that seeks to reduce hunger and instill healthy shopping and eating habits among Latinos through nutrition education and enrollment assistance in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Promotores complement this education with grocery tours, cooking demonstrations, and hands-on activities that provide participants with the opportunity to further learn about simple, affordable, and healthy meals—all while keeping our Latino sazón and culture in mind. In 2015, 107,806 Latinos were reached with face-to-face nutrition education and SNAP information, and 2,021 participated in grocery store tours and cooking demonstrations.

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));

This past December, I attended a cooking demonstration held by Hispanic Services Council in Wimauma, Fla., with 50 participants. Our Affiliate, Hispanic Services Council, partnered with the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger and Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, where the demonstration took place. Led by Rocio “Rosy” Bailey, participants made three simple, healthy salads complete with dressings—kale, corn, and bean salad with lime dressing; lentil salad with balsamic dressing; and Asian salad—that were inspired by many of the ingredients they receive from a weekly food pantry. By the end of the demonstration, the kale salad was rated as a favorite and many participants planned to recreate it at home for their families. In all, it was a fun-filled activity for the whole family and a few participants even won baskets full of healthy goodies to continue preparing healthy meals at home.

Thanks to the generous support of the Walmart Foundation, Comprando rico y sano will continue operating across 20 communities in 11 states and the District of Columbia this year, so that our participating Affiliates can continue holding these types of events. We look forward to sharing more highlights of this program throughout the year, but for now check out the short video clip and pictures below. Remember, healthy living begins with making healthy choices every day, and every day of the year—not just New Year’s Day—is the day to commit to living a healthier life. !Si se puede!

This blog post is part of Comprando rico y sano, a program supported by the Walmart Foundation.