Campus dietitian hosts free classes to teach Vandals the simple joys of cooking
With a kitchenette in the front of the room and various cooking tools scattered about, Marissa Rudley, campus dietitian, was ready to teach some hungry students how to cook.
Lyndsie Kiebert | Rawr
Campus Dietitian Marissa Rudley has a student help her make pizza at her cooking class Sept. 17.
“My goal is to empower students and show them that they’re in control of their health,” Rudley said.
The Rec Center hosted Vandalizing the Kitchen Wednesday Sept. 17, in the Student Recreation Center classroom. Previously known as Cooking Basics, the Vandal Nutrition program offers free monthly cooking courses and has been rebranded by Rudley.
This fall marks the start of Rudley’s fourth semester directing Vandalizing the Kitchen. The purpose of the program is to introduce students to easy, affordable recipes they can make as an alternative to meals like stereotypical ramen noodles, she said. Rudley even features a microwave recipe at each class in order to make the program “residence hall friendly.”
And it doesn’t have to be time consuming. During the Pizza Party lesson, Rudley demonstrated how to make three variations of pizza — with minimal preparation — in about an hour.
Past classes have been focused on putting a twist on classic breakfast and also introducing students to gluten-free dining. And on top of it all, each session ends with a buffet of various free samples.
Using healthy ingredients is a focal point of Vandalizing the Kitchen. During the Pizza Party, Rudley used multiple organic and local goods, all of which can be purchased in Moscow.
When it comes to the future of Vandalizing the Kitchen, Rudley’s hopes are high. By teaming up with the Sustainability Center, Vandalizing the Kitchen has boosted its advertising and attained the funding needed to teach more free, hands-on cooking classes in UI’s brand new Foods Lab.
“Students tend to think cooking is difficult and time consuming, and I’m here to show them that it doesn’t have to be,” Rudley said. “Taking raw ingredients and making something entirely new is magical.”
Vandalizing the Kitchen is having its next class in the Foods Lab in the Niccolls building on Tuesday, Sept. 30th. This class will give students the opportunity to do some hands-on cooking with the help of Rudley’s enthusiastic guidance.
Personal Wellness credit will be given for attending, but space is limited. Contact Marissa Rudley at [email protected] if you’d like to sign up.
Lyndsie Kiebert can be reached at [email protected]