Central Okanagan seniors learn tips on making dollars and food go further
Published 2:35 pm Monday, March 9, 2026
Central Okanagan seniors were treated to a free cooking lesson with award-winning chef Jeremy Luypen and Central Okanagan Food Bank Community Programs Coordinator and nutritionist Megan Pope with a Nourish and Thrive event.
Hosted by the United Way B.C. and the Central Okanagan Food Bank, about 14 seniors attended the Emmanuel Church in West Kelowna on Mar. 9 to learn, connect, and enjoy lunch.
Magda Kapp with United Way B.C. said this is the second year of hosting the event.
“Sadly, food security affects many people in British Columbia… It’s very difficult, especially for seniors who are living on a fixed income,” Kapp said. “We want to make sure people are aware of ways that they can use things in their fridge to make a meal go further.”
Gospel Mission Chef Luypen did a small demonstration on making an easy soup while Pope shared nutrition facts.
“Sometimes when we look at ingredients, and we look at recipes, we get caught up in a carrot, or we get caught up in some celery, instead of aromatic vegetables,” Luypen said. “Rice can be replaced with barley or a starch of some kind… The idea behind it is whatever is in your fridge.”
The soup recipe included chicken as a protein. Luypen explained that whole roasted chickens are a budget friendly option at the grocery store if you take the time to use everything, including the carcass to make homemade broth.
“That $11 chicken can feed you for six meals if you know how to use it,” the chef commented.
Luypen also recommends chicken feet for homemade broths to add protein and collagen to the meal, as it can often be found at a low cost.
For those looking for protein alternatives, Luypen and Pope both recommend staying away from processed options and include foods like hemp hearts, beans, tofu, and chia seeds in your cooking. The pair commented on how beans can be used to stretch ground beef for things like pasta sauces.
Pope added that as people age, they need fewer calories while increasing their nutrient intake. She suggested keeping fibre a high priority to lower cholesterol with foods like vegetables and whole grains. Pope also suggested adding the leaves from your vegetables to your salads to add nutrition.
Luypen agreed with adding the leaves from broccoli, cauliflower, and other vegetables to salads, but included that stems can be grated into salad or frozen for later use to eliminate food waste.
“If it was grown for human consumption and it wasn’t eaten by humans, it was wasted,” Luypen said.
Sisters Gwen Davis and Misty Powell were excited to learn that banana peels are full of nutrients and can be dried and turned into powder for various uses instead of being tossed in the compost.
“We grew up in the era where you didn’t throw away a lot of food, it was considered a really big waste,” said Powell. The sisters are originally from the U.K. and spoke about their mom foraging, canning, and working hard to not waste anything.
“Because of the cost of food these days, I do find I’m freezing a lot more,” Davis said, commenting that when buying groceries for a one-person household, there are often times when she has to buy more than she needs but tries to avoid wasting the food.
After the demonstration, the group was treated to a rice and vegetable soup prepared by Luypen and enjoyed some socialization.