Casey House’s outpatient recreational therapists lead a variety of activities and social support groups each week. Comforts of Home is a cooking workshop that builds skills, teaches nutrition education, and brings a diverse group together to share more than just a meal.
As one of the more popular rec therapy groups, the attendees represent a wide range of lived experiences. Their ethnicities, nationalities, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and interests fall across a large spectrum; some even have established backgrounds or careers in cooking. And, just as their pasts vary, their goals for the program do too. A newcomer to Canada may be seeking food support, a retired older client who worked as a line cook may be looking to make friends, or someone newly diagnosed with diabetes may be learning how to cook for their new chronic health condition.
Each week, one client is chosen to lead the group and select a recipe. Beyond sharing a recipe, participants share their cultures when they nominate a dish to the group. Cooking often goes global during these sessions, with past recipes originating from Mexico, Portugal, Jamaica, China, and more. Sometimes the group finds a recipe online to try something new, or a client brings in their own handwritten recipe passed down through generations in their family. Recreation therapist Kristen keeps each copy in a large folder that contains two years’ worth of recipes, which she hopes one day to create into a booklet for clients and others to enjoy.
Handwritten recipes from participants
Kristen prepares for the workshop with a trip to the grocery store and a $45 budget for the entire group, which can range anywhere from 10 to 16 participants. The goal is to replicate a typical food bank hamper with a few additional fresh products to round out the canned or dried goods. The final plated portion often costs well below $5 per serving. During the workshop, the client-lead delegates tasks to each attendee and the group works together to prepare the meal. Once it’s ready, they eat together and discuss all manner of topics.
Learning new skills and exploring new uses for simple ingredients while making sushi
A particular interest that persists throughout the sessions is learning how to host social gatherings. Our organization’s food philosophy believes that food can be a foundation for meaningful connections. In the cooking workshops, clients empower each other to overcome the obstacles in their lives – costs, skills, or otherwise– and use their newly learned skills to enjoy food with others. They may even imagine or roleplay how to organize gatherings like birthdays or holiday parties. With a bit of creativity, seemingly humble ingredients like canned tuna and cucumbers are transformed into sushi rolls or chicken and rice into paella.
Open discussion is a key component of the classes. As a hospital, many of our clients are experiencing multiple chronic health challenges that are impacted by their ability to access food. While clients learn more about nutrition, they also spend time unlearning and debunking misconceptions they may have—for example, that eating fresh produce “cancels out” eating processed foods. Kristen hopes that in the future the program can include collaboration from a dietitian to answer clients’ nutrition questions. Until then, outpatient nurses make guest appearances to share broader suggestions about healthy eating.
The group works together to provide social support too. Conversations about budgeting at the store can develop into larger discussions about the importance of budgeting for essentials – shelter, food, utilities, and clothing – before splurging on vices. Casting their differences aside, participants provide sympathy and advice to their peers who may encounter external triggers to maladaptive behaviour or have experienced trauma in their past. For many clients, this weekly meet-up adds security and comfort to their lives.
Just as a recipe has a medley of ingredients working together, the Comforts of Home workshop invites participants to shine with their own unique expertise. As more clients join the group, we look forward to seeing how future installments take the program to new heights.
September 15, 2025
Comforts of Home cooking workshop
Casey House’s outpatient recreational therapists lead a variety of activities and social support groups each week. Comforts of Home is a cooking workshop that builds skills, teaches nutrition education, and brings a diverse group together to share more than just a meal.
As one of the more popular rec therapy groups, the attendees represent a wide range of lived experiences. Their ethnicities, nationalities, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and interests fall across a large spectrum; some even have established backgrounds or careers in cooking. And, just as their pasts vary, their goals for the program do too. A newcomer to Canada may be seeking food support, a retired older client who worked as a line cook may be looking to make friends, or someone newly diagnosed with diabetes may be learning how to cook for their new chronic health condition.
Each week, one client is chosen to lead the group and select a recipe. Beyond sharing a recipe, participants share their cultures when they nominate a dish to the group. Cooking often goes global during these sessions, with past recipes originating from Mexico, Portugal, Jamaica, China, and more. Sometimes the group finds a recipe online to try something new, or a client brings in their own handwritten recipe passed down through generations in their family. Recreation therapist Kristen keeps each copy in a large folder that contains two years’ worth of recipes, which she hopes one day to create into a booklet for clients and others to enjoy.
Handwritten recipes from participants
Kristen prepares for the workshop with a trip to the grocery store and a $45 budget for the entire group, which can range anywhere from 10 to 16 participants. The goal is to replicate a typical food bank hamper with a few additional fresh products to round out the canned or dried goods. The final plated portion often costs well below $5 per serving. During the workshop, the client-lead delegates tasks to each attendee and the group works together to prepare the meal. Once it’s ready, they eat together and discuss all manner of topics.
Learning new skills and exploring new uses for simple ingredients while making sushi
A particular interest that persists throughout the sessions is learning how to host social gatherings. Our organization’s food philosophy believes that food can be a foundation for meaningful connections. In the cooking workshops, clients empower each other to overcome the obstacles in their lives – costs, skills, or otherwise– and use their newly learned skills to enjoy food with others. They may even imagine or roleplay how to organize gatherings like birthdays or holiday parties. With a bit of creativity, seemingly humble ingredients like canned tuna and cucumbers are transformed into sushi rolls or chicken and rice into paella.
Open discussion is a key component of the classes. As a hospital, many of our clients are experiencing multiple chronic health challenges that are impacted by their ability to access food. While clients learn more about nutrition, they also spend time unlearning and debunking misconceptions they may have—for example, that eating fresh produce “cancels out” eating processed foods. Kristen hopes that in the future the program can include collaboration from a dietitian to answer clients’ nutrition questions. Until then, outpatient nurses make guest appearances to share broader suggestions about healthy eating.
The group works together to provide social support too. Conversations about budgeting at the store can develop into larger discussions about the importance of budgeting for essentials – shelter, food, utilities, and clothing – before splurging on vices. Casting their differences aside, participants provide sympathy and advice to their peers who may encounter external triggers to maladaptive behaviour or have experienced trauma in their past. For many clients, this weekly meet-up adds security and comfort to their lives.
Just as a recipe has a medley of ingredients working together, the Comforts of Home workshop invites participants to shine with their own unique expertise. As more clients join the group, we look forward to seeing how future installments take the program to new heights.
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