Long Beach City College Basic Needs and The Community Advancing Student Achievement (CASA) Programs are hosting their third interactive cooking experience that will continue to educate and encourage students in meal preparation with their own CASA Success Coaches on April 25 from 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Participants will have opportunities to explore and learn about how to play with their food palates with multicultural dishes from around the world using resources from the Viking Vault.
Students will receive a limited edition tote bag cooking tool kit filled with the basic ingredients for the recipes being presented.
Meals are designed to feed multiple people at affordable prices as well as encouraging the building of community with these recipes.
The March 28 “Chop it Like it’s Hot” event featured step by step recipes on Tostadas de Picadillo and Mexican Champurrado.
“Students can benefit from not only learning the recipe, but actually have the present moment of tasting it and figuring out how to make their own version,” said LBCC student Norma Nava.
Thelma Vallente, another participating LBCC student, explained the cost effectiveness of cooking at home.
“It’s cheaper to cook at home than to go and buy it. I try to find something that’s easy to make. I don’t like eating out because I’ve had so many food poisonings I’ve given up,” said Vallente.
According to CASA Success Coach Luz Diaz, “This program is mainly designed to inspire students to create their own meals…We are trying to choose recipes that are affordable.”
After the event, all media recordings and recipes will be available to all students on LBCC’s Basic Needs Canvas page.
There are only two more opportunities remaining to heat up the kitchen at “Chop It Like It’s Hot” on April 25 and May 23 with the menus to be announced.
LBCC’s Basic Needs and CASA Programs are both supported by the Healthy Viking Initiative that addresses student needs and concerns by providing increased access to food, housing support and transportation resources.
The CASA Program takes a collaborative approach that intends to provide holistic basic needs and mental health support to over one thousand Hispanic and low-income students annually.
CASA Students are offered Spanish language workshops and culturally responsive professional development that includes individualized completion and transfer support that provides reserved spaces on university tours, career support, work based learning and job placement.
Hosting these events for students will continue to educate and support their independence for their futures by teaching them how to cook for themselves for life.