HOSP7064 - Food is Medicine: Culture and Cooking
Course Description
Food is Medicine: Where Culture and Cooking Come Together is a community workshop series that explores how traditional Hawaiian and local plants can nourish body, mind, and spirit through everyday meals. Each session blends cultural practice, culinary creativity and community connection showing that when we care for the ʻāina, it cares for us in return. The workshop honors ancestral wisdom while building modern kitchen confidence, creating a space where culture, community, and cooking come together on the plate.
The first series in F.I.M: Where Culture and Cooking Come Together will spotlight ʻuala (sweet potato) in all its abundance, honoring both the nourishing root and the versatile leaf. Participants will learn the cultural and traditional significance of ʻuala, explore its healing values, and then head into the kitchen to prepare healthy, ʻāina-inspired recipes that continue to be a foundation for wellness today.
Learner Outcomes
• Analyze the cultural significance and medicinal benefits of specific Hawaiian plants (la'au) to understand their role in traditional health practices.• Apply foundational traditional and contemporary culinary methods to successfully prepare and integrate featured la'au into everyday meals and creative, modern recipes.
• Develop practical skills for selecting and using plant-based ingredients therapeutically to enhance personal nutrition and well-being.