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M. LOUISE FITZPATRICK COLLEGE OF NURSING

Culinary Medicine: Cooking Up Better Health

Culinary Med 101-Group at table

Science and sustenance converged in Culinary Medicine 101, an immersive culinary and nutrition experience hosted by the MacDonald Center for Nutrition Education and Research with (VCP) on May 30 in the Driscoll Hall Atrium on campus. The event brought together the art of cooking and the science of nutrition in an energetic, collaborative setting.

Housed within the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the MacDonald Center is dedicated to advancing health care practice with nutritional health and well-being鈥攁 mission that fully aligns with VCP鈥檚 community-driven work to provide nutrition education through cooking to people across Philadelphia and Camden. Together, the MacDonald Center and Vetri聽Community Partnership offered a tailored, instructional experience combining guided, participatory cooking with evidence-based nutrition education for 32 registered dietitians and nutrition educators from across the East Coast.聽

Culinary Med 101-Staff
VCP Lab Educator Marisa Marks, VCP Community Dietitian Tara Bledsoe, VCP Culinary Medicine Dietitian Ambrazia Sublett, MacDonald Center Director Rebecca Shenkman, VCP Culinary Medicine Program Manager Tara Mataraza Desmond and MacDonald Center Associate Director Lisa Diewald.

鈥淚n cooperation with Vetri Community Partnership, we designed Culinary Medicine 101 to empower health care professionals to transform patient and client outcomes through the power of food,鈥� said MacDonald Center Director Rebecca Shenkman. 鈥淥ur goal was to bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and real-world application.鈥�

Tara Mataraza Desmond, Culinary Medicine Program Manager, added, 鈥淰etri Community Partnership was thrilled at the chance to collaborate with colleagues to discuss proven theory and behavior change models in hands-on education, centering the joy of cooking, and the enjoyment of delicious food in motivating people to make changes for better health.鈥�

Culinary Med 101-Group at table-FCN Sign

The program awarded Continuing Professional Education units to dietitians and featured:

  • Hands-On Cooking鈥擯articipants prepared a delicious, nutrient-packed meal, reflective of evidence-based guidelines, that was designed for easy replication and instruction. 聽
  • Interactive Learning鈥擠ynamic educational sessions and discussions with inter-professional colleagues and culinary experts explored the science of nutrition and its role in preventing and managing chronic diseases.
  • Patient-Centered Strategies鈥擜 toolkit of easy, practical educational strategies to teach clients and patients the value of healthy and delicious cooking to inspire lasting behavior change.
  • Community Impact鈥擵CP presented examples of how to聽bring the principles of culinary medicine to life in professional practice as it does in schools and communities.
  • Networking鈥擳he interactive program format promoted connection between professionals and colleagues as they shared best practices for integrating culinary medicine into patient care.聽聽

Culinary Med 101-Recipe

鈥淭he sessions equipped health care professionals鈥攚ho are involved in counseling patients on various chronic conditions like diabetes management, heart health and obesity prevention鈥攚ith tools to make nutrition advice practical, accessible and impactful,鈥� said Shenkman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for the opportunity to further our mission in collaboration with Vetri Community Partnership.鈥�

View the  for more on its design and delivery of nutrition education.

Photos: Courtesy of Vetri Community Partnership