NOVA Medical School organized 19 workshops themed “Local Mediterranean Flavours - from the meadow to the plate: with soul, tradition and health”, in various markets in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, with the aim of enhancing Mediterranean cuisine and encouraging a balanced and sustainable diet.
These hands-on workshops were created specifically for the community, with the aim of empowering them, meeting the objectives of the AML Alimenta Project, a project developed under the National Plan for Balanced and Sustainable Food of the National Rural Network. Each workshop was led by NOVA Medical School nutritionists Alexandre Rodrigues and Margarida Silva.
The aim of these workshops, which were attended by over a hundred participants, is to replace theory with practice, giving people the opportunity to cook and understand how, through simple food choices, they can transform their habits and consequently improve their health.
Health promotion is essential for empowering communities to adopt healthy lifestyles, preventing disease and improving quality of life. These workshops focus on promoting balanced eating habits and healthy lifestyles, in a context where eating patterns in Portugal present significant challenges. During the workshops in the markets, NOVA Medical School nutritionists raised awareness among people shopping in the markets of the characteristics of a healthy, health-promoting eating pattern, while inviting them to cook practical recipes using local and seasonal products, highlighting their nutritional benefits and positive repercussions on health.
Through these actions, NOVA Medical School seeks to empower the community with culinary techniques, knowledge intrinsic to the Mediterranean diet and useful information for them to adopt more balanced and sustainable food choices.