National Nutrition Month Series – Connect with Food

This blog post will explore different ways to connect with food, including learning cooking, food preparation, and meal planning skills, as well as discovering community resources like SNAP, WIC, and local food banks.

Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine connects people to food by improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant options while addressing the root causes of hunger. Through programs like Cooking Matters Maine, Mainers Feeding Mainers, Advocating for Change, Health and Hunger, the Youth and Families Initiative, and Equity & Impact Funds, the organization works to strengthen community partnerships and support food security across the state. To learn more about these resources, visit the Good Shepherd Food Bank website.

Cooking Matters Maine

Good Shepherd Food Bank offers Cooking Matters Maine, a program from Share Our Strength that provides Mainers with hands-on cooking and nutrition classes. The program covers cooking skills, food preparation, and meal planning. Led by volunteer chefs and nutritionists, it is free for both participants and host sites. Classes are available for kids, families, parents, teens, and professionals. The program also offers in-store tours, teaching participants how to find nutritious foods on a tight budget and what to look for while grocery shopping.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income families stretch their grocery budget to afford nutritious foods essential for health and well-being. SNAP also includes programs like SNAP-Education, which offers nutrition education and cooking resources in partnership with state and local organizations, including Cooking Matters.