Think you’re too tired to cook healthy? Think again

Wellness kitchen serves up virtual course chock full of tasty, energy-saving tips

Story by by Stephanie Krug | Photo by Evelyn Kathol

Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) teams are cooking up tasty change these days in the South Health Campus Wellness Kitchen, with a goal to give Albertans a virtual guide to healthy meal preparation.

Dietitian Tiffany LaFleur and Occupational Therapist Megan Parker have designed a cooking demonstration — Eating Well When Fatigued — to teach quick and easy cooking techniques to support healthy eating when your batteries are running low, so to speak.

Let’s face it, fatigue can get in the way of healthy eating. When you’re tired, physically or mentally or both, it’s more challenging to plan meals, shop for groceries and prepare food.

Eating Well When Fatigued began in 2016 as an in-person class in the South Health Campus (SHC) Wellness Kitchen. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Alberta, Tiffany and Megan partnered with Julia MacLaren, wellness kitchen dietitian and consultant, and switched to a virtual format.

“The class shows how to adapt kitchen devices and demonstrates ways to save energy to make meal preparation easier,” says Parker. “Initially, the class was designed to support people with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).”

LaFleur adds: “People with long-haul COVID or chronic fatigue syndrome could also benefit from the class. Nutrition is vital to health. Providing tools to support these people can make a big difference.”

Teaching from a real kitchen location is a realistic, practical approach that what goes beyond what’s possible in a hospital or classroom setting, Parker adds: “The group format also lends itself to the sharing of mutual struggles and learning tips from each other.”

Culinary nutrition, sometimes called culinary medicine in healthcare, champions the notion of food as medicine. “Research supports that this type of class can increase behaviour change,” says MacLaren, who’s thrilled at the collaboration.

“We hear from people that these strategies make a difference to their health,” she says. “This class is an example of health innovation and a virtual health success story.”

Eating Well When Fatigued is a free, virtual class that’s open to all Albertans, including their family or support people, who wish to learn how cook up some healthy, delicious meals.

Our next class is Nov. 18. Register by searching for the “Eating Well When Fatigued: Cooking Edition” class at AHS’ Nutrition Services.