Community center to offer gourmet freezer meal class

By Nicole Garner

Nevada Daily Mail

Busy home chefs may find interest in an upcoming class at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center. Parks and Recreation Director Dana Redburn will be teaching Everyday Gourmet, freezer meal preparation on Feb. 22.

Participants will learn about food preparation and meal planning while putting together 10 freezable dinners. Meals can then be reheated by oven or crockpot.

"For so many people, this is a busy time of year. I thought this was a good way to offer healthy meal options," Redburn said at a Healthy Nevada meeting on Tuesday.

The 10 recipes presented will offer nearly complete meals. Families would only need to add a side or salad to have a nutritionally balanced supper. Dinners can be heated in the oven or put into a crockpot.

The first class will focus on comfort food recipes, with no more than 350 calories per serving. Each prepared meal will feed four to six people.

Redburn said she hopes to use this class as a model before expanding it into an ongoing program.

"We're looking to get the bugs worked out and find a way for those on restricted or low-income budgets to be able to participate," she said.

Other future goals include making the program a quarterly class, and incorporating produce from the farmers' market.

The first class in February is limited to 12 participants and runs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The program will cost $95, which covers the cost of all ingredients and supplies for the 10 take-home meals. Those interested in participating should register with the community center by Feb. 19.