A free teaching kitchen for WIC families is set to open in Kittanning, Pa. An open house kick-off event will take place from 4 - 6 pm, Tuesday, September 26, featuring cooking demonstrations and giveaways.
Britney Zwergel, the vice president of nutrition & education programs at Adagio Health, says the mission of this teaching kitchen is to help families be resourceful and creative with their food, while promoting intergenerational habits in the kitchen.
“The teaching kitchens help our WIC families learn how to leverage all of the food benefits that they're receiving from the program and how to use them in new, creative ways,” said Zwergel.
Zwergel said classes are designed to promote parents, grandparents and kids spending time together in the kitchen.
“We want to inspire and create that intergenerational cooking experience, whether that's children with parents or grandparents," she said. "We want to get everyone excited to be back in the kitchen together and cook some of these delicious foods.”
During tomorrow's open house, attendees are encouraged to check out a cooking demonstration of fall pumpkin pudding and a recipe that incorporates apples from a local orchard at Dillner Family Farms. There will also be free food and giveaways.
The chief of external affairs at Adagio Health, Alicia Schisler said WIC families and Pittsburgh community members are welcome to attend the event.
“We would love folks to come and celebrate the opening of this teaching kitchen with us,” said Schisler. “That's what it's all about — celebrating food, celebrating family. That's the approach we take for folks who are eligible for our WIC services. We celebrate and applaud them for taking advantage of those benefits for making sure they can avail themselves of more healthy foods for themselves and for their children.”
