The Los Medanos College Food Pantry held a cooking demonstration Tuesday Oct. 29 in the Library in Room L-109.

Those who attended learned new and different ways to cook and prepare items like pumpkin spread for Thanksgiving, as well as corn and green chili salad. Both recipes are healthy choices to make from the provided food items given by the Food Pantry.

Student Life representative Renee Savage helped facilitate the event as well as take part in the learning activities because she thought it was important for the school. 

“[This event] was to help raise awareness about the existence of the Food Pantry and the fresh foods available,” she said. “[The event helps] to make cooking more approachable and so people can have healthy recipes for themselves and their families.” 

According to the Student Life section on LMC’s school website, the Food Pantry was introduced to the campus during the spring of 2017 with the intention of providing students free food and other resources. 

The food pantry aims to help “whether you forgot to make your lunch, are waiting for your financial aid award, or are saving money for other expenses, we will help you,” according to their mission statement.

Gwenn White, a representative of the Contra Costa Public Health Community Wellness & Prevention Program, teamed up with the LMC Food Pantry and the Student Life Center to introduce and teach those who use the pantry new and healthy ways to utilize the different types of ingredients that were available.

Though the turn out was lower than previous events, White took it in stride when she said “[it was a] small, but mighty group.”

Taking part in the demonstrations, Renee Savage pointed out positive reviews on her experience with the students. 

“This event was a lot of fun, we all were engaged and learned something new, and it was delicious,” she said.

Members of the LMC Food Pantry were there to demonstrate some healthy recipes using some of the food items handed out to students who use the Food Pantry. The event seemed to achieve its goal of spreading awareness of the food pantry program as a helpful resource for students. 

Savage maintained great involvement throughout the entirety of the days hands-on demonstration activities and also took part in them as well.

“I learned recipes I could use from the food from the food pantry. I had fun and met new people, and recommends that more people come to the next one,” said Savage.

Others who participated thought the demonstration was useful for learning “new skills, like how to use a knife,” as student Manny Jimenez said. This event was also “great for team building, and bring attention to the food pantry and raise self-confidence in cooking at home,” he said.

For more information about the LMC food pantry, donations, menus and upcoming events, visit https://www.losmedanos.edu/foodpantry.