A food program in Thunder Bay, Ont., that teaches young families to cook healthy meals on a budget is attracting more participants.
Our Kids Count, a grassroots community development organization, runs community kitchen programs at different locations across the city.
During the pre/postnatal community kitchen program, parents make meals they can take home to their families while their babies socialize in the adjacent room.
“We’re definitely noticing an increase. I think everyone is really aware of how much a dollar needs to stretch,” said Our Kids Count’s executive director, Jackie Knough.
“We’re really being conscious of that and really looking for recipes that are healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables, but yet being able to look at those costs and budget accordingly.”
The cost to feed a family of four in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit catchment area was about $1,200 a month in 2023, up 15 per cent from the previous year.
It can be hard to find the time – and the energy – to cook when you’ve got a baby at home. That’s why Our Kids Count in Thunder Bay, Ont., runs a pre/postnatal kitchen program. Here’s what the CBC’s Sarah Law learned during a visit to the Westfort location.
Almost all programs offered by Our Kids Count include food, said Knough. The organization has been serving the community for nearly 30 years.
“It’s all about creating a community where people can come and learn, but they can also socialize and take home some really great recipes to be able to cook for their own families.”
Making healthier choices
Sherry Blasizzo, early learning co-ordinator at the Westfort location, said it can be hard for new mothers to find the energy to make dinner every night.
She talks a lot about meal prep and planning to help people make the most of their time and money, she explained.
“Lack of sleep and lack of being able to make those meals at home sometimes from being in their postpartum journey … it is important to reach for healthier choices, right?
“This kitchen allows them to have at least one nutritious meal per week,” Blasizzo said.
Another important aspect of their health and well-being is their ability to connect with each other, she added.
“Sometimes it’s just a weekly check-in. Moms collaborate in different conversations or struggles they may be having in their postpartum journey or prenatal journey as well,” Blasizzo said.
“They actually teach me many new kitchen tips as well, and they share nutritional recipes and ideas.”
Preventing social isolation
This is Tamara DeLuca’s second time participating in the program, this time with her 11-month-old son, Jack.
“It’s a way for myself and my son to get out of the house,” DeLuca said as the group put the finishing touches on a dill pickle pasta salad and chicken kabobs.
“It’s nice for him to be able to hang out with other babies, kind of get that little social aspect of it — and then for me, it’s a way to also have a social aspect, getting out of the house, talking to other moms.”
DeLuca said she wasn’t prepared for the social isolation that can come with being a new mother.
“They don’t really talk about that after you give birth and you are in this routine,” she said. “It can be really lonely for moms and even dads, and having a program in the city for that is so important.”
“It just gives the opportunity for people to not be alone when it’s the most important time to have that social interaction.”
More information about programs offered by Our Kids Count can be found on its website and its Facebook page.