IRON CHEF COOK-OFF EVENT

IRON CHEF COOK-OFF EVENT On Saturday May 21, 2016, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Suffolk County partnered with the Central Islip Civic Council, 4H, Island Harvest and Whole Foods to conduct a Family Iron Chef community- cook-off event at the Central Islip High School. Admission to the event was free. Nonperishable foods were collected to be donated to the Central Islip Civic Council Pantry. The motivation for this event was to bring families together to creatively cook healthy menu options, using foods from the typical food pantry and the basic supplies and equipment found in a kitchen or shelter setting. Whole Foods was kind enough to donate fresh food products for our teams to use in their meal creations. There were two cooking heats with a total of 9 families that participated. Legislator Monica Martinez, of the 9th district, also participated in the competition. Fun physical activity breaks were included throughout the event to highlight the importance of physical activity for healthy families. There were informational tables set up for participants and guests from Long Island Harvest, Central Islip Civic Council, Stony Brook University, and United Health Care to disseminate information on health and wellness related topics. The event showcased one of CCE’s very own nutrition educators, Scenquetta Dixon, as our Emcee who successfully engaged the participants. Awards were presented to the winning teams. More importantly, everyone attending the event, clearly had a lot of fun, while learning about healthy eating on a budget.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- SNAP. SNAP provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out how to check your eligibility for a range of benefits and apply for SNAP, go to myBenefits.ny.gov or call 1-800-342-3009 for more information.