(Mirror Indy) – The smell of garlic and tomatoes wafted through the Indianapolis Public Library’s Hoville branch as Julia Sluis diced carrots.
Sluis added the orange vegetable to a pot of what she called “Sneaky Tomato Sauce” along with peppers, zucchini and celery. This is a healthier alternative to regular tomato sauce on the market.
The cooking demonstration, which will take place on May 14, is part of a series of free nutrition classes offered monthly to Indianapolis residents in parks, gardens and libraries across the city. The Department of Public Health is hosting this class as part of the Diabetes Impact Project, a collaboration of multiple organizations to support communities at high risk and prevalence of diabetes.
This includes neighborhoods to the northwest, northeast, and most of the west.
“Many of these areas have been identified as food deserts with few fresh food options,” said Olusegun Ajibabe, a nutrition educator with the Marion County Public Health Department. “What they need most is time and continued exposure to nutritional information.”
Community members say the resources are making a difference.
“When I found out I was prediabetic, I was sad at first,” said Debi Johnson, 67, a former Marion County resident who drives from Avon to class. “But now I know I can do something about it before it gets to that point.”
Tawonia Taylor, a Hoville resident who has a family history of diabetes, agreed.
“My father had a lot of complications, so I’m just trying to live a healthier lifestyle,” the 56-year-old said.
During the last class, she and her son Jeremiah received a pack of vegetable seeds to plant at home.
“We can eat our own vegetables,” she said. “That will save you some money.”
[Haughville school uses urban farming to teach students how to start their own gardens]
Before the group sampled the tomato sauce, Sluis explained that the common myth that all carbohydrates and fats are “bad” and that skipping meals is an effective way to lose weight is debunked. I revealed that it is. She recommended focusing on eating healthy and moving your body instead.
“If it’s something you feel like you can’t do forever, it’s probably not a good choice,” Sluis says. “I don’t want to get caught up in that diet cycle.”
Two more nutrition classes are scheduled this summer at the Hoville Library Branch, Rodius Park, City Gardens on Lafayette Road and Riverside Park.
June’s topic will be cooking with vegetables, beans, and berries, while July’s class will focus on prebiotics, probiotics, and maintaining gut health. To register, call Indy Parks at 317-327-7275 or the Hoville Library Branch at 317-275-4420.
The Marion County Public Health Department is also offering free appointments with dietitians to all residents. No introduction needed. For more information, call 317-221-7403.
Mirror Indy reporter Mary Claire Molloy covers health. Contact her at 317-721-7648 or her email maryclaire.molloy@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @mcmolloy7.
