Culinary Initiative

Food selection and preparation is a key component to living a healthier lifestyle. Once churches start teaching congregants about healthy eating, they often discover that changes are also needed to food served at the church itself. Bronx Health REACH worked with a church member trained in food service management to develop a resource manual for church culinary committee members. Healthy Cooking for your Congregation is a six-week program that provides information on selecting, preparing, and serving healthy versions of favorite meals in church kitchens. As a result, changes to menus used in church events include:

• Less fat and salt in prepared dishes.
• Selection of foods richer in fiber and prepared with more whole grains.
• More vegetables, fruits, and other whole foods available to congregants.
• Limiting or eliminating sugar sweetened beverages.
• Reduced portion sizes.

By improving the health of congregants through nutrition education, healthy cooking, and responsible food policies, Bronx Health REACH provides the information and tools for members of the community to make healthy food choices at church and at home.