“Giving students peace of mind” is how Max Newland described the benefits of Healthy Eating on a Budget, an annual class organized by the Moscow Food Co-op.
Newland, an education and events coordinator for the Co-op, said the class offers students information on how to shop for food on a budget.
“The main reason this event is important is because it gives people who otherwise might be spending their days worried about their food budget a little peace of mind,” Newland said.
The event will be taught by a dietitian who will provide recipes, basic cooking skills and tips for saving money while shopping, Newland said.
Newland said when students arrive for the class, they will receive a handout with recipes, cooking guides and tips. Students will also have a chance to sample recipes made from food at the Co-op.
The Healthy Eating on a Budget class will take place 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1912 Center’s Fiske Room. It is focused on protein and is the second in a series of courses about healthy eating on a budget. The next course, on March 23, is on fruits and vegetables. The fourth course is on everyday deserts and the final course involves meal planning and a tour of the Co-op.
Newland said the event will be open to everyone and the cost for a class will be $5 for general admission, $3 for Co-op Owners. He said the class will be free for Co-op Owners who are students.
Newland said even if someone isn’t a Co-op owner, they will be reimbursed on the first day of class with a Co-op gift card.
Newland said the main reason the event started was due to food security concerns on the Palouse.
“Student populations are particularly hard-hit by food insecurity, and as a cooperative business we have not only a unique ability to target food insecurity, but also an obligation to our community which gives us a mandate to reduce food insecurity in our area,” Newland said.
Newland said the class is important for raising awareness about the impact of food insecurity, and that it isn’t limited to students.
“To speak frankly, I find that some folks have a tendency to ignore economic issues affecting students, taking it as a given that students should be suffering from food insecurity or poverty,” Newland said. “I don’t believe it’s acceptable to treat the issue of poverty in the student community as something that is justified.
Cody Allred can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @CodyLAllred