New Mexico State University’s Doña Ana County Cooperative Extension Office will present a series of cooking classes designed to teach adults with diabetes how to cook healthy meals.
The Kitchen Creations series consists of four weekly classes that aim to teach participants about food safety, meal-planning, reading food labels and managing carbohydrates.
The classes will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 13, March 16, March 20 and March 23 at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, 1955 N. Valley Drive.
Beatriz Favela, a Family and Consumer Sciences Extension agent in Doña Ana County, and Janae Kraus, a registered dietitian nutritionist, will present each class.
“Many people with diabetes struggle with what to eat,” Favela said. “Participants who have attended Kitchen Creations classes in the past report enjoying learning how to cook healthy meals and learning about the different strategies to eat what they like. Plus, participants can have hands-on experience by cooking during the classes. Participants also report enjoying the recipe books provided as part of the program.”
Research has shown that lifestyle changes such as healthier eating can help people manage diabetes and reduce the risk of complications, Favela said. More than 1,000 New Mexico residents participated in Kitchen Creations over the past two years, Favela added.
Kitchen Creations is free to all New Mexico residents, but registration is required. To enroll, contact Favela at 575-202-2376. For a complete schedule of classes in other New Mexico counties, visit https://kitchencreations.nmsu.edu/index.html.
NMSU, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. If you are an individual with a disability who needs an auxiliary aid or service to participate, contact Favela by March 8.
Kitchen Creations is sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and offered by the Cooperative Extension Service as part of the “Paths to Health NM: Tools for Healthier Living” initiative. To learn more, visit https://www.pathstohealthnm.org/.