Cooking Workshops Empower Questa Locals to Turn Food Pantry Staples into Healthy Meals

Many Questa residents receive food pantry boxes but often struggle to prepare nutritious meals using unfamiliar ingredients like lentils and seasonal produce—leading to healthy food going unused. After seeing how this gap in practical knowledge was affecting local food security, a Questa restaurant owner approached LOR with a solution: hands-on cooking workshops.

With support from LOR, Rosie’s Smokehouse will purchase supplies and food preservation equipment to host monthly classes that teach residents how to cook healthy, culturally relevant meals using pantry staples. The workshops aim to build practical kitchen skills, reduce food waste, and strengthen food security through education and community connection.