Single Mom Creates Non-Profit to Teach Low-Income Families Healthy Cooking on a Budget
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Stacie Archer, a single mother of three, understands the stress of trying to cook healthy meals for a family on a tight budget. She didn’t want other families in similar situations to feel the same pressure, so she founded a non-profit organization called Get Cooking. Through this initiative, Archer educates hundreds of low-income families on how to shop for nutritious food and create meals for $20 or less.
Archer firmly believes that a home-cooked dinner is crucial for children’s development. These meals help them perform better at school, foster stronger relationships within the family, and combat child obesity, according to Archer in an interview with FOX Business.
Stacie Archer, right, and chef Michelle Bernstein are helping families create healthy meals. (D.A. Varela / Fox News)
A recent study by the National Institutes of Health found that having at least three family meals per week decreased the likelihood of children being overweight by 12%. It also reduced the chances of unhealthy food intake and eating disorders in children by 20% and 35% respectively.
In 2016, Archer began her mission to assist families on tight budgets by launching a food blog, Seven Plates, which provided cooking tips and recipes. Each recipe was designed to serve a family of four and cost no more than $20.
“A lot of these families believed that cooking healthy was too expensive and wouldn’t taste good,” Archer said, acknowledging their reliance on sodium and preservatives in frozen meals. Her goal was to debunk these misconceptions. As her blog gained popularity, Archer decided to have an even bigger impact by teaming up with award-winning chefs.
Stacie Archer helps families learn how to cook meals under $20 with her Get Cooking interactive program. (D.A. Varela / Fox News)
Archer currently co-hosts a virtual interactive cooking class for families living in subsidized housing in Miami and Orlando, Florida. Each class is held twice a month and caters specifically to Verde Gardens, a townhome community in Miami for formerly homeless residents, and families in Orlando’s poorest neighborhoods, Parramore.
About two hours before the class starts, around 3 p.m., meal kits are delivered to the families’ front doors. These kits, supplied and distributed by Second Harvest Food Pantry, contain all the necessary ingredients to make the recipe for the day.
“You’ve got your food. We’re going to show you how to do it,” Archer said with a laugh.
Recipes from Stacie Archer’s Get Cooking Program. (D.A. Varela / Fox News)
At exactly 5 p.m., Archer begins the virtual cooking class, welcoming around 40 families each time. Parents and children watch attentively as she guides them through each step of the process. Archer willingly addresses any questions that arise, ensuring everyone understands the instructions.
The class starts at 5 p.m. intentionally, allowing the kids enough time to return home from school and actively participate in the meal preparation.
“It’s so gratifying to be let into the homes of these families as we cook together. I love to see the kids cutting vegetables side by side with their moms,” Archer expressed.
What sets Archer’s program apart is that these families aren’t merely attending a demonstration in a multipurpose room. They are gaining the confidence to use their own kitchen, many of them having never used an oven or frying pan before.
Archer not only teaches them the importance of nutritious foods but also how to shop for them on a budget.
“They now know how to shop for the ingredients because they’ve touched it, they’ve seen it, and they trust that they can do it for $20 or less,” Archer explained.
The hope is that the families take the recipes they’ve learned and their newfound skills and apply them wisely during their future grocery shopping trips.
“We gave you a fish, now it’s your turn to go fishing,” Archer concluded.