For Claudia Peña, The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre®  (THK/LCA®) is so much more than a nutrition program. Twenty seven years and two grown children after taking her first THK/LCA cooking and nutrition class in 1999, Claudia is now an experienced course facilitator and a pillar in the SFC community. For Claudia and the Peña family, THK/LCA is a space to put values like community, sustainability, and wellness through nutrition into practice. “In the very first class, I realized that this was exactly what I needed,” Claudia said. “Because I was an immigrant in a different culture with a baby I wanted to feed in a healthy way.”

THK/LCA’s peer-facilitated classes (offered in both English and Spanish) are taught by people who share experiences or cultural backgrounds with class participants. Even though all THK/LCA classes across Texas follow the same lesson plan and cookbook, no two courses will be exactly the same because no two communities are the same. For Claudia, the opportunity to talk to other immigrants in Spanish about navigating American food systems helped her start nourishing herself and her family right away. Not after she learned English or passed a test, but right when she and her family needed nourishment.

They had a lot to talk about – American food systems and the culture around food in the US is different from what she grew up with in Mexico. There were the obvious things like speaking English and spending US dollars, but those were the things she expected. It was the little things that caught her off guard. “When I bought grapes and bananas at the store here, I asked, ‘Where are the seeds?’ because these fruits have seeds in Mexico,” Claudia said. 

“Talking to so many different people from different countries, I learn from them. They say ‘You’re the teacher,’ but I say, ‘I’m learning’.”

Claudia Peña, LCA Facilitator

Nutrition from the Inside Out

Her body was feeling the absence of the little things, too. Dietary acculturation is the process of bacteria and microbes in the gut (gut microbiome) changing during and after immigration. In Mexico, Claudia and her community generally cooked what they ate using fresh ingredients and bought produce as it was seasonally available at local markets or on the trees in the neighborhood. “My sister has an avocado tree, my aunt has a mango tree, and we picked extra to share, and so did our neighbors. Many people have a fruit or nut tree and it’s common to share,” Claudia said. 

By contrast, American food culture is dominated by ready-made, frozen, and fast-food meals and fresh produce that doesn’t change with the seasons. For many immigrants to the US, the increase in processed food consumption and decrease in the seasonal variety of fruits and veggies consumed after immigration contribute to higher risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. Claudia knew she had to be intentional to avoid losing connection to her food, culture, and health, and she saw THK/LCA as an important tool to support her and her family.

Nourishing Family & Community

When Claudia’s first La Cocina Alegre course ended, she was invited to become a facilitator. Luckily for us, she accepted the invitation! Not long after she began facilitating LCA classes, Claudia’s son Rodrigo was born. “He immediately became part of the group, since the program provides space to attend with children,” Claudia said. Rodrigo was quite literally a born leader in the THK/LCA space. He grew up helping his mom first as a teacher’s aid during cooking and nutrition classes and later as a translator at mobile markets. 

The chance to keep participating in THK/LCA with baby Rodrigo was important for Claudia, whose husband, Jose Ramon Peña, was deployed as a combat medic during  OIF and OEF. “My children, alongside me, experienced a time of great support being part of SFC since my husband [was deployed] for several years. The program was an escape for me and also entertainment for the children, collaborating in the markets as translators and sellers with the farmers,” Claudia said.

Confidence in the Kitchen and Beyond

Feeling comfortable buying fresh fruit and vegetables that support your health needs is a key aspect of THK/LCA classes. Class facilitators provide information about farmers’ markets and farm stands in the area and highlight markets and grocery stores with food access programs. Class participants who receive nutrition assistance like SNAP and WIC can make the most of their benefits with SFC’s programs Double Up Food Bucks Texas (statewide), which doubles SNAP to spend on fresh fruits and veggies, and Triple WIC (SFC Farmers’ Markets only). 

Reflecting on her 27 years of community cooking experience, Claudia said, “Talking to so many different people from different countries, I learn from them. They say ‘you’re the teacher,’ but I say, ‘I’m learning’.” Although THK/LCA courses last only six weeks, the lessons they offer about food, nutrition, and community last a lifetime. As Claudia said, “Simply put, this program is part of our [family’s] life.” With the help of community leaders like Claudia and the Peña family, SFC is cultivating a better food future where everyone can afford nutritious food from local farmers, the people stewarding Texas land.

Are you interested in hosting a THK/LCA class? Contact SFC’s Education Team at info@sustainablefoodcenter.org