Cooking, chatting and sampling new recipes took place as students turned an ordinary Monday afternoon into a shared experience at Cook and Connect, a campus workshop combining healthy eating with community connection.
Hosted by the Associated Students Food Pantry in partnership with TitanWELL’s Cooking Healthy & Optimal Movement program, Cook and Connect aims to help students build confidence in the kitchen while promoting wellness and community. These workshops teach simple, affordable recipes and offer a space for students to learn healthy habits together.
“We realized that although we are providing food items to students, some of them may not have the skills to really prepare meals for themselves,” said Aly Koba, coordinator of the ASI Food Pantry. “We really try to incorporate or create an opportunity for people to learn as well as connect with each other so they can really build those skills as well as create a sense of community with each other.”
Cristina Truong, associate director of Titan Student Union Programs and ASI Food Pantry, helped launch Cook and Connect alongside TitanHealth to strengthen collaboration between the two departments. She said the program allows students to gain more than just cooking experience and introduces them to essential campus resources that can support their health and well-being.
“Even if students didn’t know about the food pantry when they come, they just want to learn to cook — they also get information about the food pantry,” Truong said.
Students gathered outside of The Pantry under a canopy tent, organized with ingredients and cooking supplies to prepare vegan chili and chicken salad. The “Batch & Chill Meal Prep” session guided participants through portioning, seasoning and storage tips, while demonstrating how to create affordable and nutritious meals.
TitanWELL health educator Jennifer Langenwalter encourages students to taste as they cook, experiment with spices and learn how to improvise when certain ingredients or tools are unavailable. The workshop emphasized building confidence in the kitchen and making cooking feel more approachable.
“I try to just keep it not stressful and casual,” Langenwalter said. “We always have a recipe as a guide, but really, especially when I call it camping cooking, which I feel like we’re doing no matter where I take my program, you just have to improvise.”
As students chopped vegetables, mixed ingredients and stirred simmering pots, the tent filled with focused energy and conversation. Participants worked side by side to prepare the meals, coordinating each step as ingredients came together. Some students took the lead on cooking and turned the workshop into a genuine team effort.
Teamwork was at the center of the experience, with students supporting one another and sharing small victories throughout the cooking process.
“When we were cutting the jalapeños, one of them was struggling to cut the jalapeños,” said Emily Andrade, a second-year psychology major. “I felt really happy when I saw him really excited that he was able to do it correctly. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m impacting somebody in a positive way.’”
For others, the workshop was a way to overcome nerves that come with learning how to cook and build habits that make healthy eating feel more achievable.
“In general, it just helps people eat more healthy,” said Brandon Tran, a third-year mechanical engineering major. “Instead of always eating McDonald’s or whatnot, they can learn how to cook for themselves, save time and money.”
The Cook and Connect series will continue throughout the semester, with the next session, “Rise and Shine Remix: Breakfast 3 Ways,” scheduled for Nov. 17. Each workshop highlights a new theme and recipe, giving students another chance to build their cooking skills and connect with others in a supportive environment.