Bridging the gap between the shelf and the kitchen
By Chef Nadine Joyner on February 10, 2012 5 comments
Nadine Joyner is a chef educator in Cheverly, MD, and runs Satisfying Solutions Menu Development.
I served on a panel this week as Walmart announced its Great for You icon label on healthier foods. I was there to stress nutrition education, because we absolutely have to bridge the gap between identifying healthy food on the shelf and learning how to use it.
I work with low-income families in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area. I am in the trenches with them, and I can tell you: there is a disconnect between the store and the kitchen.
I am a chef educator and I have worked with WIC clinics in Maryland and hosted “Back to Basics” cooking demonstrations with a focus on low-fat cooking, reading labels, portion control, using herbs and spices and much more.
My clients are very eager. They may be disadvantaged economically but they are in no way disadvantaged in terms of intellect. They are very savvy about how they spend their money in the grocery store. And once I have given them the tools to prepare nutritious meals at home, they absorb it and use it right away.
They are passing that knowledge on within their families, and making changes that span the generations – one recipe at a time.
This work is my passion, and that’s why I travel through underserved communities with my car loaded with everything I need to cook anywhere – in schools, churches, homes – anywhere where people are, because they absolutely want the tools to cook healthier.
One of my favorite demonstrations was with potato salad. I used sweet potatoes instead, and people discovered that the taste is almost identical to white potatoes – but the nutritional content is exponentially different.
Here is a recipe, in both English and Spanish, for my Jicama and Apple Showstopper Slaw. Give it a try. Healthy eating changes lives, and I am on the road every day spreading that message – because it changed mine.
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1.
MsStanley | February 10, 2012 at 6:13 pm
You are absolutely correct…because some are economically disadvantaged does not mean they lack intellect. Congrats on using this platform to help others. God remains in the blessing business.
2.
Jill Greene | February 10, 2012 at 7:49 pm
Kudos to Chef Nadine Joyner and Walmart! This is long overdue and healthy food options are absolutely accessible when huge corporations like Walmart choose to give back to the community. Including Chef Joyner in your initiative will be a great asset. Her nutrition knowledge and her culinary skills are well known. Her drive to change the eating habits in the local communities can only be matched by her continuing faith that she will make a difference one person or family at a time. I look forward to hearing more about this endeavor.
3.
Walmart Green Room | February 13, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Thanks for your comment, Jill. We are proud of our new “Great for You” icon and the impact it will have on the lives of our shoppers. Leaders like Chef Joyner inspire their communities to live better, just like we at Walmart aim to do. Be sure to keep checking the blog to hear more about our sustainability initiatives!
4.
LaVerne Baker Hotep | February 11, 2012 at 5:08 am
You go, Nadine! “She who learns, teaches”
5.
Justin | February 13, 2012 at 12:38 pm
On behalf of everyone at Greater Baden and GBMS WIC, we would like to thank our great friend Chef Nadine for the work she does! We have had her present in our health centers and the way she makes demonstrates how to make tasty, nutritious, meals in way that regular folks can understand is what the community needs to combat the obesity epidemic. I’m personally a fan of her chicken and quinoa soup. Thanks Wal-Mart and Chef nadine for this informative blog!