A tater tot casserole was the first meal prepared in the new program. (Submitted photo/Brett Angus)

By Derek Cornet

federal funding

Home cooking program seeks to provide skills, boost food security among Métis families

Dec 13, 2023 | 5:00 PM

A new nine-week home cooking program offered by the Jim Brady Métis Local 19 aims to provide skill development, as well as offset rising food costs.

The program began on Monday and is called Let’s Cook or Piminawasotān. There are 30 families involved representing more than 100 people and it is being made possible through funding from the federal government’s Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples initiative.

“We’re trying to be as healthy as we can be with people and show them that healthier meals are able to be cooked on a budget,” said Local President Brett Angus.

“We are providing the food for them and the recipes for these meals.”

Every Monday, families are given the ingredients for a meal they are expected to cook during the week. Angus explained families then send in photos of them cooking the food, the finished product, or the family involved with the meal somehow.

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The first meal this week was a tater tot casserole with upcoming recipes including chicken soup and bannock, fried bread and chili, and shepherd’s pie.

“So far, we’ve had a great response from our participants. People are really happy with the recipe, and they really enjoyed the meal and are really looking forward to the coming weeks,” Angus said.

“When we are all done the program after nine weeks or 10 weeks, we are going to be having a family dance for our families who participated in the program. Everyone is going to bring one of their favourite meals from the program and we are going to have a big potluck and a dance and events for the kids.”

Angus mentioned the program is not only aimed at alleviating food costs during the holidays, but also for educating young people on healthy meals and offering some cooking skills as well.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com