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HEALTHY
EATING

From Cable into the Kitchen

How the LSOM Food Network

Inspired Me to Change the Way I Cook

By Ana Moser

As someone who has always had a hearty that, the LSOM Food Network program has My advice to future patients would be to
appetite and a penchant for trying new food, saved me time and money (two things that I, conduct a quick search and find healthy
when my medical school offered me the like most medical students, have a limited recipes online that they would be excited in
chance to partake in a cooking class, I did not amount of ) because I am able to cook a large trying out. I would remind them not to get
hesitate to sign up. In partnership with the dish and freeze the excess for later. It’s much discouraged if the dish they cook does not
San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB), the Long less tempting to go out and buy takeout when turn out perfect. Like anything else, there is
School of Medicine (LSOM) offers the I know I have a flavorful, healthy meal at a learning curve to cooking; it takes experi-
LSOM Food Network, an interactive cooking home that just needs to be heated up. mentation and trial-and-error before finding
program aimed at teaching students how to Some of my favorite recipes I’ve made what works.
prepare healthy, nutritious meals that are both through the LSOM Food Network include I want my future patients to know that eat-
time- and budget-friendly. Thai basil fried cauliflower rice, vegetable ing healthy doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor—
SAFB’s Chef and Nutrition Education Co- paella and apple carrot muffins. I had never it just means getting a little creative in the
ordinator, Raul Longoria, facilitates each ses- eaten these dishes prior to participating in the kitchen and incorporating their preferred fla-
sion by guiding students step-by-step through program, and I was pleasantly surprised at vors into meals. Setting aside a little bit of
recipes, answering any questions we have how delicious all three tasted, even though time to cook may seem inconvenient, espe-
along the way. I have learned about kitchen they contained a lot of vegetables and other cially when fast food and takeout are so read-
safety, such as how to properly hold a knife healthy ingredients. I now feel more comfort- ily accessible. However, with so many serious
and learned the best ways to cut an onion, able in the kitchen and confident in my cook- diseases having a correlation with unhealthy
head of cabbage and bell pepper. Participating ing abilities. The LSOM Food Network eating, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes
in this program has encouraged me to be program has taught me that eating healthy and an array of cardiovascular diseases, it is
more creative in the kitchen. I learned that I and giving my body the proper fuel it needs is well worth investing a little time to cook well-
don’t always have to follow recipes verbatim something that benefits both my overall phys- balanced meals.
and that it’s okay to adjust recipes to my per- ical health and personal well-being. Giving Educating my patients on many lifestyle
sonal preferences and dietary needs. For in- myself the nutrients I need by eating healthy changes, such as choosing healthier alterna-
stance, I can incorporate spices that I know helps me feel more energized, and therefore, tives to their favorite dishes, could lower their
I’ll enjoy or make small tweaks to recipes in better able to serve future patients. risk for morbidity and greatly improve their
order to utilize the ingredients I have in my My experience with the LSOM Food Net- health. I’m grateful that my medical school
pantry or refrigerator. Substituting ingredi- work has also influenced my professional de- offers this program because it has taught me
ents with healthier alternatives, such as using velopment as a physician. Chef Longoria practical skills in the kitchen, encouraged my
brown rice instead of white rice, or incorpo- often shares stories about how the SAFB dis- culinary creativity and shown me that eating
rating vegetables into my go-to meals are just tributes large quantities of food to our com- healthy meals not only benefits myself, but my
a few of the lessons I have learned through the munities in need. Understanding the many future patients.
LSOM Food Network program. moving parts to the food distribution opera-
Perhaps my biggest takeaway from the pro- tion is eye-opening in understanding the Ana Moser is a Medical Student at
gram is that healthy foods don’t have to be needs of our community. I hope to pass along the Long School of Medicine, UT
bland. Taste can easily be improved by mixing my new skills to future patients and motivate Health San Antonio, Class of 2024.
flavor profiles and incorporating seasonings them to cook healthy meals that they look
and spices into one’s cooking. On top of all forward to eating.

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