Plant-based cooking classes teach nutrition, cancer prevention

During the holidays, there are so many traditions that involve food, from cookies baking in the oven to the juicy prime rib gracing the holiday table.

Some look forward to it all year. Others find the holidays overwhelming.

"For those who are dealing with a serious illness, it can be especially hard," said Mary Fremgen, a registered and licensed dietitian. "Often, the food doesn't taste good; even the smells in the kitchen can be hard to handle."

Fremgen started her career in oncology, helping cancer patients get the nutrition they needed to survive the rigors of the illness.

"Years ago, if a patient wasn't eating, we would find out what they liked to eat and get that for them, even if it meant a cheeseburger and malt." Fremgen said.

She knows firsthand what it is like dealing with cancer, having lost both her father and her brother to the disease.

While working at the Living Well Cancer Resource Center in 2012, Mary Fremgen met Susan Leigh, a corporate executive who had training in culinary arts. Both knew the importance of good nutrition for cancer patients.

Many cancer patients, dealing with chemotherapy and radiation, suffer from malnutrition. Many also deal with depression from isolation and stress from the disease.

In an effort to help patients within our communities, Fremgen and Leigh started Fox Valley Food For Health, (FVFFH) a nonprofit, program that provides weekly plant-based meals (with fish or chicken) to those dealing serious illness, created by high school culinary students.

The cost of the program to the clients is based on a sliding scale. Priority is given to those in need. The students learn how to cook these healthy meals alongside qualified chef mentors.

Fox Valley Food For Health is patterned after the Ceres Project, a successful program in Northern California that has served close to 500,000 organic meals to patients in need.

These students learn not only about nutrition, they also learn cooking techniques. Some come in with training from their high school culinary classes. All learn new techniques from working with professional chefs and mentors. They sign on for a three-month stint. Some students sign on again for the leadership training and serve as mentors to other students. The students work in the kitchen at the Kane County Fairgrounds, doing prep work on Monday evening, then actual cooking on Tuesday evening. When all the food is prepared, it is taken to the second kitchen for packaging. The students sanitize snap-ware containers, package the food and load the containers into Thermal totes.

"I love working with the students," said mentor chef Penny Newkirk. "That's where I started, teaching high school students how to cook."

Many in the area also learned techniques from Newkirk, when she taught classes at her former cooking store, Cooking Craft in St. Charles.

Since the program began four years ago, Fox Valley Food For Health has served more than 18,000 cancer-fighting meals to 275 clients. The program has expanded to include students from Kaneville and Burlington.

When the meals are complete, a group of adult volunteers, known as delivery angels, pick up the food-filled totes and take them to clients. The clients must transfer the food into containers that are oven-safe. The delivery angels are encouraged to not just drop off the food, but make a connection with the client.

Another area where adults and students can volunteer is the summer garden program. Working alongside master gardeners at Kautz farm, the volunteers plant, tend and harvest the vegetables that are used in the cooking.

"Volunteering for FVFFH has really had an enormous impact on my life," said delivery angel Marge Brown. "The clients and their families are among some of the bravest and strongest people, I have ever encountered."

"We enjoyed soups, salads, entrees, and desserts," said Jan Grimstad, a client diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. "My husband Bob and I looked forward to each meal and were sad to see it end. We are now converts to plant-based organic eating. During the six weeks, we requested many recipes. We use those recipes continually and share them with family and friends."

The program has also expanded to include Caring Cooks, plant-based cooking classes at Penny Newkirk's farm in Campton Hills. She has a full demonstration kitchen that was used for her "Cooking With Herbs" classes.

"We realized that many of our clients and our angels wanted to learn how to cook the meals the high school students created," Fremgen said.

For the Grimstads, the classes have been very informative.

"Caring Cooks is fun," said Jan. "I've learned an incredible amount in just a short while. Before Caring Cooks I always thought we 'ate well.' Today that awareness is at a totally new level. Referring to their nutritionally charged recipes, we shop, we prepare meals, and base our diet on Caring Cooks. Inviting friends to dinner has been exciting in that they find the meals as delicious as we do."

At Caring Cooks' classes, participants learn cooking techniques and nutritional values of foods. They then break into small groups and work together to create recipes. When they are done, they move to the dining room where they are served the evening's dishes.

The last class focused on healthy appetizers for the holidays.

"I know it isn't always easy to get people to change how they eat, especially at this time of the year," said Fremgren.

She knows, firsthand, how difficult it can be. When she took a pie made with dates to a family celebration, it sat on the dessert table untouched.

"I realized then that sometimes it requires baby steps to make changes, especially during the holidays," said Fremgen.

For those involved in Fox Valley Food For Health, the rewards are endless, knowing you have helped someone deal with a serious disease. For clients like Jan Grimstad, it is a gift that is given at one of the most difficult times of their lives.

Fox Valley Food For Health is a community of volunteers who care. Not only are they helping those with a serious illness but they are teaching young people how to cook in a nutritious and healthy way. To find out how you can get involved; whether through volunteering, taking classes or making a donation, log onto foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org/.