Cooking Well with Diabetes Now Available On-Line by Johanna Hicks, Family & Community Health Agent

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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has many opportunities to learn more about staying healthy.  In a previous column, you read about “Be Well, Live Well” for the 50+ crowd, scheduled in April.  Now, in recognition of March as National Nutrition Month, AgriLife Extension is promoting “Cooking Well with Diabetes” on its new on-line based learning platform, AgriLifeLearn (https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu).  Cooking Well with Diabetes has been an active program for over 15 years, teaching healthy meal planning and preparation for people living with diabetes.  I actually served on the revision committee.

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The current health climate that has spurred working from home and virtual learning provides significant challenges and stresses, but also an opportunity for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in their role in community health education.  Covid-19 has certainly prompted numerous changes in how we, as an agency, deliver health education, but it also provides a wonderful opportunity to use this technology to make Cooking Well with Diabetes very accessible. 

The course is self-paced, allowing the learner to go back and review the material as much as needed at any time of day or night. Participants will have access to the course for a year to review and access materials.  Cooking Well with Diabetes encompasses four lessons that review meal planning and cooking techniques with over 25 recipes that aim to make food flavorful and lighter than the usual Texas cuisine.  Participants also learn to prepare and have a plan for celebrations and festivities.  There is always an event or celebration when an abundance of foods are served.  These events test us and our consistency in making conscious choices on how to navigate these situations. 

To access the course, go to the AgriLifeLearn link and set up an account.  There is a small $20 fee to access the course, but as mentioned earlier, you will have access 24-7 for an entire year to review materials, access recipes, and view the videos.  You won’t be disappointed!  If you have issues logging on, please don’t hesitate to contact the Hopkins County Extension Office – 903-885-3443.

Closing Thought

Be considerate of every man – Who knows what’s in him, why he was born and what he can do? – Maxim Gorky

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