Cooking for Wellbeing

Chef and educator Jenny Breen, MPH, often hears recurring comments from people. They want to eat more nutritious meals, but they feel stressed about their abilities, the cost, and finding time to make food that they and loved ones will enjoy. Yet she knows that if people learn a few skills and strategies, they will be less anxious and more likely to embrace their goals to eat healthy food.

Breen is teaming with long-time collaborator Kate Shafto, MD, to break down misconceptions that it’s difficult and expensive to eat well. This fall, they launched Nourishment in Every Season: Online Cooking and Nutrition Workshops with the University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. The four-session series—designed for seasonal eating—sets the table for those who aim to enhance their wellbeing through nutrition. 

“People want some basic, good ideas and strategies to be able to come home and eat something that is delicious and satisfying and doesn’t take three hours to make,” Breen says. “There are basic skills and resources that can make it very accessible to prepare food that’s really good for you and not as harmful for the planet, either. They really go hand-in-hand and are another thing we like to talk about when we teach.”

The Bakken Center has an extensive history of emphasizing nutrition in its offerings because it plays such a significant role in health and wellbeing. “Advancing health and wellbeing is core to our vision and mission,” says Center Founder and Director Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN. 

Many people already are interested in healthy cooking and eating but crave practical, hands-on skills they can apply to achieving their goals. A series like Nourishment in Every Season provides these essential food preparation and cooking skills. This universal need is one reason why the sessions are held on Zoom, offering access to people across the state, country, and around the world, Kreitzer says. She adds, “I hope that people leave with confidence that they have the knowledge and skills to make immediate changes in what they eat.” 

“We try to meet people where they are. This workshop is for those who want to try getting into the kitchen more.” 

— Molly Manko

Another draw is that participants learn from teachers with an uncommon perspective, says Molly Manko, Bakken Center community relations program and event manager. Breen is a chef, educator, and former restaurant owner with a public health lens, while Shafto is an internal medicine, pediatric, and integrative health physician. 

“They are looking at food systems and culinary nutrition and food justice, which you wouldn’t always get from a chef,” Manko says. “And it’s unique to see a physician doing this work and talking about how what you eat and what you cook really impacts your personal health. It’s one of the lifestyle choices that people can make to see a difference in their health and wellbeing, and something Kate deeply understands and has seen in her patients.”

During each workshop, Breen and Shafto share cooking techniques like knife skills or tips for roasting vegetables. They delve into identifying nutritious ingredients and building a pantry of items that can be turned into an easy meal. Breen recognizes that it’s common for people to get overwhelmed by all of the varied—and sometimes conflicting—guidelines regarding diet and nutrition. She hopes that the workshops help clarify advice and inspire people to try new ways to eat well.

The duo also encourage participants to cook along with them, make comments, and ask questions. The sessions are recorded for viewing up to one month after airing. For University of Minnesota employees and spouses, the series is free through the Office of Human Resources Wellbeing Program.

The Nourishment series is geared to people with any level of kitchen skills, with the underlying goal of empowering participants to try new recipes and seasonal ingredients. In the fall, Shafto and Breen taught how to make bowls—a versatile dish that can be transformed based on seasonal ingredients and differing tastes. In the winter, they will highlight soups and stews featuring whole grains and legumes, while the spring session will cover incorporating greens and fresh herbs into recipes. 

 “We want to give people an opportunity to explore a facet of wellbeing that involves food and cooking,” Shafto says. “Having so many choices can be paralyzing, and it can also feel paralyzing if you don’t feel confident in your skills. We hope to take some of the stress out of that with our teaching.”

Breen and Shafto also like to weave in information about the role nutrition plays in overall health. It’s a powerful area of wellbeing with impacts on mind, body, and spirit—offering opportunities throughout the day to support the work our bodies do to keep us fit and healthy, Shafto says. They also raise food-related issues like the interplay between food and climate change, and disparities in access to healthy food. 

So far, participants have enjoyed the series and feel more powerful and confident in the kitchen. The noontime sessions are a welcome break in the workday and provide assurance that it’s perfectly fine to swap out ingredients based on taste preferences or whatever items are on hand. “I loved the invitation to play around in the kitchen,” one participant commented. “I’m always worried that I will mess it up and waste the food, but having the provided guidelines [from Shafto and Breen] helps!” 

“There are basic skills and resources that can make it very accessible to prepare food that’s really good for you and not as harmful for the planet, either. They really go hand-in-hand and are another thing we like to talk about when we teach.”

— Jenny Breen, MPH

Manko stresses that everyone can benefit from participating in the series. “We try to meet people where they are. Even if you don’t cook all the time, I think this workshop series is really for those who want to try getting into the kitchen more. We all have to eat,” she says. “Jenny and Kate cover more advanced concepts as well. It’s a really fun series and hopefully it gets people into the kitchen trying new things.”