About Cooking Well

Cooking Well are 3 to 4 lesson workshop series that build skills towards planning, preparing, and cooking healthy meals. There are 4 different course options for Cooking Well:

  • Cooking Well with Friends – This 4-class program is aimed for busy individuals who want to learn how to plan, prepare, freeze, and cook healthy meals. The series covers 1) the basic principles of freezing food, 2) using a slow cooker and multifunction cooker, 3) adapting recipes to make them healthier, and 4) creating healthy meals at home.
  • Cooking Well for Healthy Blood Pressure – This 3-class program is aimed for people who want to plan and prepare food for individuals with high blood pressure (hypertension) or pre-hypertension. This series covers 1) using the DASH food plan, 2) navigating the grocery store, and 3) cooking with spices and herbs.
  • Cooking Well with Diabetes – This 4-class program is aimed for people who want to learn how to plan and prepare food for individuals with diabetes. The series covers 1) carbohydrate foods, 2) making recipes with healthier fats, 3) improve sodium & fiber in recipes, and 4) how to celebrate the holidays and other festivities sensibly.
  • Cooking Well, Exploring Cultures – This 4-class program is aimed for anyone who wants to learn new cooking techniques and recipes through foods from diverse cultures. Each session includes creating foods from 1) India, 2) the Philippines, 3) the interior of Mexico, and 4) Poland.

These sessions can be made available to school staff and interested parents/guardians for Healthy School Recognized Campus. Each session should last about two hours and is usually delivered once a week over a 4-week period.

Cooking Well programs can be delivered in-person or online by Extension agents. Contact your local Extension office to find out which options are available in your county. Programs may have a fee to cover the cost of supplies.

Program Components

  • 3-4 classes with an educational component, recipe demonstration, recipe tasting, and discussion
  • Educational handouts for participants. Spanish translations are available for most resources
  • Recipes

Additional Resources

Interested educators should connect with their county AgriLife Extension office for more information. Find their contact information here: https://counties.agrilife.org/

Links to the online programs: