Helping individuals navigate relationships with food and family
Karim A. Martinez, Ph.D., CFLE
By Karim A. Martinez, Ph.D., CFLE
Family Life & Child Development Specialist, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service
Much of my career as a county family and consumer sciences agent has involved working with families and food, which, in my view, are integrally related — our relationships with food are impossible to separate from our relationships with people.
Teaching adults and youth in the community, I’ve heard about personal successes and struggles with food. My background in family dynamics, counseling, and cultural identity has improved my understanding of participants’ lived experiences when it comes to food and family, including:
emotional associations with food,
the influence of family dynamics on eating habits,
the importance of food in family rituals, and
the connections between food and cultural identity.
A program that addresses some of these themes is Kitchen Creations, a cooking school for people with type 2 diabetes and their families, in which participants learn diabetes management from a registered dietician and cooking from an extension educator. The program allows participants to increase their knowledge of healthy food choices; learn about economical, easy-to-prepare foods that reflect their cultural identities; try new cooking techniques; and share with each other.
The fact that participants may bring a family member is an important aspect of the Kitchen Creations program. People with diabetes are part of a family unit, and the family needs to negotiate healthy meal options together.
Throughout my career, I’ve seen participants in food and nutrition programs make profound changes in their lives and the lives of their families. While they deserve the credit for making those changes, I am happy and proud to have supported them by providing reliable, research-based information in a supportive and motivating environment.