Sichuan Nanchong: Culinary Teachers Discuss Dietary Health on Laba Festival

The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month marks the traditional Chinese Laba Festival. The Nanchong City Social Welfare Center organized a unique event for the elderly in the surrounding communities, combining health dietary knowledge with a Laba porridge tasting session. At the event, Xie Junxian, the secretary-general of the Nanchong Cooking Association, and Wu Li, the deputy director of the Nanchong City Social Welfare Center, invited Wu Lei, a teacher from the Culinary Arts and Nutrition program at the Modern Agriculture College of Nanchong Science and Technology Vocational College, to deliver a lecture titled "All Things 'Porridge' Perfect, Laba Passes Through the Millennia" at the welfare center's elderly meal assistance point.

At the event, Teacher Wu used his professional knowledge to explain the fascinating origins of Laba porridge, the diverse selection of ingredients, the rigorous cooking process, and the nutritional value of the dish in a clear and accessible manner. This allowed the attendees to understand the dietary health knowledge behind this traditional delicacy. Meanwhile, the elderly guests had the opportunity to taste the Laba porridge on site.

The steaming, fragrant Laba porridge attracted a large number of elderly people from the surrounding communities to listen and taste. On this cold winter day, the Nanchong City Social Welfare Center, the Modern Agriculture College of Nanchong Science and Technology Vocational College, and the Nanchong Cooking Association not only promoted traditional festival culture through this event but also provided warmth and care to the elderly. As they enjoyed the delicious porridge, they also gained practical dietary health knowledge.

After attending the lecture, community resident and national filial piety star Yang Yougui said, "This public welfare lecture has greatly benefited me, especially in learning how to choose Laba porridge for seniors with diabetes and high blood pressure. I've learned about the importance of 'reducing salt, oil, and sugar' for health. I hope such health lectures can be held regularly to improve health and extend life."

Authors: Li Songmei, Xie Junxian