Megan Branks of Kura Kai says they need more volunteers. Kura Kai’s Megan Branks will run the Cooking on a Budget course. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
Megan Branks of Kura Kai says they need more volunteers. Kura Kai’s Megan Branks will run the Cooking on a Budget course. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
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Katikati Community Centre is introducing a new course to teach people about cooking on a budget.
Under the Good Neighbour umbrella, centre volunteers regularly visit Woolworths Katikati to collect food which is shared with Kura Kai, Tamawhariua and Katikati Christian Food Bank.
Kura Kai community co-ordinator Megan Branks will take the classes.
Branks said the course would look at smart shopping for seasonal produce, meal planning, recipes, easy cooking techniques, and tips and tricks to save on ingredients.
“With the price of groceries, a lot of people are struggling to put together meals in a cost-effective way,” she said.
Pumpkins are cheap at the moment so Branks said they may run a pumpkin session, cooking meals such as frittatas, pumpkin and chickpea curry, and pumpkin soup.
“The idea is to learn to use produce multiple ways - to take one thing and turn it into three different dishes.”
Branks looks after Kura Kai in Katikati with area co-ordinator Sara Elliot, who both jumped at the chance to run a local cooking class.
Kura Kai started in 2020. Volunteers give their time, money and resources to cook nutritious family meals. Funds are raised to purchase chest freezers, which are donated to high schools.
Local high school leaders then help identify people in the community who may need help. The meals can be for high school families or anyone in the community.
Katikati Community Centre adult education co-ordinator Sonya Mischewski said just about everyone was on a budget at the moment, and the idea was to share knowledge with the community.
“We’re living in an area where produce is quite seasonal so the course will let you know what you can cook with what’s affordable at the time.”
