Holiday Cooking with Help from the Library

The holiday season has wrapped up, a time for meal prepping and discovering delicious recipes that welcome the winter months. But don’t put away the whisk just yet; you can enjoy cooking year-round and get a head start on mouthwatering dishes for upcoming holidays and special occasions.

Kitchen supplies (and know-how) may not always be accessible due to finances, time, or transportation issues. Thankfully, your neighborhood library can help you expand your holiday cooking skills with classes, cookbooks, and appliances.

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Cooking and Baking Classes

There’s no better way to spice up your cooking skills than getting your hands dirty in the kitchen. If cooking classes aren’t within your budget, browse your local library’s schedule. Many libraries offer cooking and baking classes for free, occasionally hosted by professional culinary artists. There’s a plethora of opportunities for prospective chefs during the holiday season and beyond.

Workshops and Demos

Librarians love involving their communities by hosting accessible life skills classes like cooking. The best part about library cooking workshops is their cost, which is usually little to nothing. Libraries do a fantastic job at teaching cooking and baking to all skill levels.

For example, the Roxbury Public Library in New Jersey hosts regular cooking classes for all ages. For people who need accessible cooking resources, Illinois’s Flossmoor Public Library offers virtual cooking programs.

Spice Clubs

One cooking-related program your local library may offer is a spice club, which can include a kit featuring a spice and accompanying recipes patrons can take home to try. The Maynard Public Library in Massachusetts hosts a monthly spice club, with their December feature being “holiday spices.” This included an entire pamphlet of holiday recipes made with spices like ginger, nutmeg, mace, and more—completely free to download.

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Borrowing Cooking Utensils

Many people associate libraries with borrowing books, and while that is a major appeal, other items are available to rent at most US public libraries. Typically known as the Library of Things, these are collections of important everyday tools available to the public. Are you missing a few cooking tools needed for that special recipe? Stop by your neighborhood library and find out how they can help!

The Library of Things

What exactly is a Library of Things? These are resources typically donated or loaned to a public library with the idea of being passed along to other patrons. A Library of Things can include tools like kitchen appliances, craft supplies, recreational equipment, and more. Some libraries provide resources unique to their location, such as bikes or museum passes.

People trying to incorporate cooking into their routines may run into financial obstacles. However, taking advantage of the Library of Things at their local library can make kitchen appliances more accessible for prospective cooks and bakers. For example, the Elmhurst Public Library in Illinois is one of many US libraries that provides a culinary cupboard to its patrons.

Seed Libraries

Certain libraries offer seeds in their Library of Things. Patrons interested in gardening and cultivating their own food can collect seeds from their library for free or at a minimal price. Libraries occasionally participate in farmers markets to disperse seeds among community members. Around 1,200 seed libraries exist in North America today, with some partnering with community gardens to make food as accessible as possible, making holiday cooking more affordable.

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Checking Out Cookbooks

Even if your local library doesn’t offer unique programs like spice clubs or seed collections, they will always have cookbooks. People preparing seasonal meals should browse their library’s catalog of holiday cookbooks for inspiration.

For example, Ohio’s Greene County Public Library provides a curated list of holiday cookbooks on its website. If you’re looking for a specific cookbook unavailable at the library, ask a librarian about using interlibrary loan to request it for you.

Foodie Book Clubs

Foodie book clubs are fantastic opportunities for community members of all skill levels to come together and celebrate their enjoyment of cooking and/or baking. These book clubs can range from engaging with traditional cookbooks to reading memoirs written by famous chefs for inspiration.

Some libraries get creative, such as the It’s Not Your Mother’s Book Club hosted by the Oglesby Public Library in Illinois. This is a young to middle-aged adult book club with food, mocktails, and conversations. Foodie book clubs can be great during the holidays when the community can gather and create food that celebrates the season.

Digital Cooking Resources

Patrons are always welcome to enjoy the benefits of their local library from the comfort of their homes, especially during the cold winter months. If you’re trying to come up with recipes or want to learn how to make a specific dish, peruse your public library’s online database of cookbooks. These are usually free and accessible with a library card, including ebooks. Other digital resources provided by the library include Libby, Kanopy, and Flipster Digital Magazines.

Keeping Up with Your Library Calendar

Your community’s library can be a huge resource during the holidays. If you’re interested in a program not currently listed in their events calendar, speak with your librarian. If they don’t provide what you’re looking for, they’ll likely know other locations that do. Expand your kitchen by visiting your public library this winter and keeping an eye on their calendar for unique events!

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