The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is now being offered at Bachman Community Center through the Hamilton County UT Extension Office.
The class will be held Thursdays from Sept. 12 through Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to noon.
“We offer a series of hands-on classes teaching cooking skills, healthy eating habits, nutrition information, meal planning and wise use of food dollars,” said instructor Alison Hoffman.
The program is geared toward people with children age 19 or younger who are eligible for assistance programs such as free or reduced-price school lunches, she added.
The free class provides a hands-on cooking experience each week, she said.
“Through this series of classes, group members will learn how to plan meals, save money at the grocery store and time in the kitchen and food safety, while learning to make more nutritious decisions,” said Hoffman.
No supplies are necessary for the class, and participants will leave each class with recipes to make at home.
Participants also receive a free measuring cup and spoon, an exercise stretch band, a food and refrigerator thermometer, a grocery list and a graduation certificate from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
Hoffman is one of four community nutrition educators in Hamilton County. This is the first class of its kind to be offered on Signal Mountain, she said.
“One of the things we have a lot of success with is helping families save money in the grocery store,” said Hoffman.