Nutritional Sciences Students Launch New Cook ’Em Resource

Lydia Steinman and students in her nutrition class have cooked up a new way to help Longhorns and others plan for healthy meals this academic year. Thanks to a recent Provost's Teaching Fellowship, Steinman has amassed the tools needed for her students to produce informative cooking videos for the general public. The best videos are curated online under Cook 'Em.

Cook 'Em recipe videos are different from most tools that cooks find online. Because students are expected to research the meal that they are creating, these videos move beyond food production and are rooted in nutritional science. Made by students with other students in mind, the foods are healthy, affordable and easy to make. There are also helpful how-to videos with basics for new cooks. All videos are short and snappy; all meals are delicious and healthy.

"With this program, my students engage in a multifaceted learning experience in which they analyze a recipe, assess its role in a healthy diet, and produce an educational video for their peers," says Steinman. "It requires research, script-writing, and learning about video production. It gives students a chance to use their creativity to produce a tool for teaching others about healthy eating.