Sansum Diabetes Research Institute provides cooking classes in Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. -- Sansum Diabetes Research Institute will be educating Santa Barbara County residents on healthy eating and cooking with their new initiative Veggie IQ.

Veggie IQ held an interactive workshop on healthy cooking with the A to Z Cooking School at Pilgrim Terrace Urban Farm on Thursday.

The class engaged students on organic farming and helped students create healthy meals including rainbow bowls and garlic snap peas.

This program aims to excite young people to become Santa Barbara’s first Youth Scientists who will work to improve the health of the local Latino community.

Youth Scientists will use science and technology to highlight the important links between good food and good physical and mental well-being.

The program hopes to increase awareness and access to healthy food for marginalized students and families in the community.

Sansum Diabetes Research Institute says the Latino community has faced serious long-term medical problems caused by challenges in accessing healthy food. This includes a disproportionate burden of diabetes and other serious medical conditions.

With Veggie IQ, they hope to help marginalized communities to be interested in health, science, technology, community service and leadership.

The Veggie IQ science sessions will be held twice a month after school from April to December 2021. One will be in-person and one will be online via Zoom.

The deadline to apply has been extended to June 30.

For more information or to apply, click here.