One of the most rewarding parts about working in this field is watching the individuals you support work on goals and crush them.

A side by side photo of a man holding the food he cooked in the kitchen, then on the right the food is plated in a bowl on the table.

We celebrate the big and the small wins here at Living Resources, but today we’dA side by side image of a man holding the food he cooked in a pot, on the left, then holding the same food in a dish on the right. like to highlight a big win for Chris. One of Chris’ goals is to pursue healthier lifestyle habits including cooking himself healthy meals and going for walks. Three years ago, Chris was not a fan of vegetables, and he showed little restraint when it came to buying processed foods at the grocery store.

Chris picked out four recipes to try this summer with his Direct Support Professional (DSP): shrimp creole, hamburger soup, vegetable soup, and blueberry pancakes. The shrimp creole was the biggest one with many ingredients and quite spicy.  The soups were quite easy to make, and he thoroughly enjoyed them; even the vegetable one!  He burned one of the pancakes but he saved it for his dad who likes burnt foods. His relatives have a maple syrup farm in Vermont, so he sweetened up his pancakes with fresh maple syrup too! Overall, the summer of cooking was a success, and Chris has begun to make healthier choices at the grocery store and makes good decisions with a little encouragement. Way to go, Chris!