Nutrition is an important part of the circle of wellness. However, patients—as well as providers— often lack practical cooking skills that are key to ensuring that patients are able to convert the well-intended nutritional recommendations we give them into their meals. Our team at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute piloted an initiative is to take learners (patients and providers) into the kitchen for hands-on cooking classes to bring alive abstract knowledge about nutrition while learning simple culinary techniques and principles.
We started the Healthy Cooking (Cocinando Saludable) series for some of our patients in Summer 2016 at the Discovery Cube Orange County teaching kitchen, as well as piloted a Culinary Medicine elective course for UCI medical students in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017. This initiative is one part of our overarching plan to change the focus of healthcare and medical education to include a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach that emphasizes wellness, prevention and self-care skills.
We will be opening our very own teaching kitchen at the UCI Health Family Health Center in Santa Ana in Summer 2018. While this is an extremely exciting time and large accomplishment, there is still so much to be done. We need your help to ensure our teaching kitchen is successful and sustainable. Your gift today will support essential elements such as:
- Healthy cooking classes in the teaching kitchen for our patients, their families and additional community members
- Culinary Medicine classes in the teaching kitchen for our medical students, residents, faculty and staff
- Culinary Medicine classes on the UCI Campus for our medical students
- Operational expenses including food, staffing, books, manuals, equipment, supplies, etc.
A gift of any size can make a significant impact on this extraordinary day of giving. Partner with us today to create a healthier tomorrow.
