Skip to main content

Lush photos and flavors help teach budget cooking

By WTOP Staff

MICHELLE LOCKE
Associated Press

Leanne Brown didn’t set out to write a buzz-worthy cookbook for people who want fine-dining taste on a food stamp budget.

Because “Good and Cheap,” a beautifully photographed e-book packed with low-cost, fuss-free recipes, actually began simply as a master’s thesis for the 29-year-old NYU food studies program graduate.

But after Brown posted it online as a PDF it got attention on Reddit, the social networking and news website, then turned into a surprise hit, spawning a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to cover the cost of printing hardcover copies for the people who need them most.

Her approach to the cookbook — using the same kind of high-quality photography and innovative flavor combinations that go into cookbooks aimed at people with $6,000 ranges in their kitchens — is part of a new breed of campaigns to help people eat well on a tight budget. The goal is simple — make it attractive to cook from scratch, almost always the best and cheapest way to eat well without spending a lot.

Recipes in “Good and Cheap” are healthy and enticing. Think vibrant vegetable jambalaya and a fun section called simply “Things on Toast.” Brown wrote the book partly because she wanted a thesis that could have a life outside academia. She also wanted to research whether she could eat the kind of food she likes to cook on a food stamp budget (around $4.43 a day).

“If you can cook there’s so much you can do with limited ingredients,” says Brown. “If you don’t know how to cook, you’ll feel pretty trapped.”

Following the success of the PDF version of the book, Brown launched a Kickstarter campaign to pay for a print run with the goal of raising enough money to donate hard copies through organizations serving the low-income community. The campaign started with a goal of $10,000 and ended with more than $144,000.

Other programs aiming to help low-income families eat better by cooking more have taken similar approaches, hoping a gourmet touch can help sell the idea of saving money by getting in the kitchen.

“It’s not about us lecturing people. We need to get people cooking,” says Greg Silverman, a restaurateur, chef and director of national partnerships for the Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry Campaign.

For example, the National WIC Association, the education arm of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), produces a popular calendar each year that includes smart food shopping, preparation, cooking and other nutrition tips, as well as easy-to-make, low-cost recipes utilizing WIC foods — all professionally photographed.

“We want to make sure that the publication is attractive and of high quality, something that you would share with anybody regardless of income,” says Cecilia Richardson, the association’s nutrition program director.

Fact is, eating well requires cooking and shopping well, which is a challenge for people who may be working multiple low-paying jobs and living a bus ride or two away from access to healthy foods.

Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit organization aimed at ending childhood hunger, runs the Cooking Matters program teaching low-income families about food through such programs as grocery store tours led by community volunteers who help demystify food labels and identify healthy and affordable foods.

Share Our Strength also has a Cooking Matters free app, which includes low-cost recipes, shopping and cooking tips and more.

“We need more low-cost, healthy and delicious recipes out there that people have easy access to,” says Silverman. “It’s really exciting that (Brown’s) book has taken off.”

The hard copies of Brown’s book will be available in September and sell for $20, but purchase options include buying additional copies to be donated to needy individuals for just a few dollars more. Brown also hopes to produce a Spanish edition and is looking for volunteers to help translate the book.

___

Online:

http://www.leannebrown.ca/buy/good-and-cheap

No Kid Hungry: http://www.nokidhungry.org

___

Michelle Locke tweets at https://twitter.com/Locke_Michelle

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote