More than 100 people took Cooking Matters at the Store grocery tours yesterday at Walmart’s Neighborhood Market on Cantrell in Little Rock. People from as far away as Dumas traveled to Little Rock to participate in the day-long event that focused on ways to stretch food dollars without sacrificing nutrition. Everyone who took the grocery tours received free $10 grocery gift certificates. In a special presentation to Alliance Executive Director Kathy Webb and Cooking Matters staff, Neighborhood Market Store Manager Keith Saveall presented a check for $1500 to cover the cost of the gift cards.
Almost everyone participating commented that during the course of their 40-minute, self-guided tours they learned something they didn’t know. “I had no idea you could freeze cheese and yogurt. That means I can buy in bulk now and get a better price,” said a woman who took the tour. Another said, “I work for the FDA, and I test food every day as part of my job. I think [Cooking Matters at the Store] is a great program, and I learned some new things today. Thanks.” There were also people who participated because they need to find ways to get by on very restricted food budgets. According to one woman, “I came today because my SNAP is getting cut. They told me I need to figure out what to do to make it work. This helps.”
Cooking Matters at the Store is a nutrition education program developed by Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization working to reduce childhood hunger through their No Kid Hungry campaign. As the lead partner in Arkansas for the campaign, the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance works to help surround low-income children and families with the tools and resources they need to eat healthy and make nutritious food a priority in their lives.
The Alliance is committed to working with Walmart and other grocers to bring Cooking Matters at the Store to communities across Arkansas. Organizations wishing to become Cooking Matters course sponsors or Cooking Matters at the Store tour facilitators should contact Rachel Townsend, Cooking Matters director, at rtownsend@arhungeralliance.org or call 501-399-9999. For more information about the programs, visit www.cookingmatters.org.