National Cooking Programme 2024
“Eating well is much easier if you know how to cook from scratch. But culinary skills and knowledge have declined across every social class since convenience food became widely available – and are still declining, as one generation after another grows up without seeing or trying cookery at home.” National Food Strategy
Education
Devoted to promoting and improving cookery education in the UK Cookery School delivered a National Cooking Programme in February 2024. The pilot programme provided live online daily cookery lessons, free of charge for 20 days. The course aim was to help people rediscover the joy of cooking and reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) eaten.
The course was free and flexible with the aim of providing as many people as possible with access to cooking lessons. Participants could join for the whole thing or single sessions. The programme is a real solution to the negative impact of UPFs and demonstrates just how important it is that everyone learns to cook.
Outcomes of the programme show that participants were more likely to cook more frequently on completion of the programme. They had an increased knowledge of cooking terms, techniques, recipes and of healthy ingredients and meals. They also had increased confidence and enjoyment of cooking and an increased understanding of sustainable practices relating to cooking.
“Firstly, just to say that I think your National Cooking Programme is amazing! Such a wonderful and much needed resource. Thanks again, and keep up the great work.” Rozanne
The problem and the solution
The BBC Good Food Nation survey reveals the rising cost of ingredients means that three in five people are taking measures such as eating more ready meals and processed foods, cooking less from scratch, and cutting back on organic food. Meanwhile, in the UK, UPFs already make up about 50% of an adult’s diet and 65% of children’s.
Obesity is already linked to ready meals that are high in sugar, salt and fat. In good home cooking, these ingredients are dramatically reduced. If children (and adults) were taught to cook, they would understand why food ought not to contain these ingredients in such significant amounts.
A European study found that “reviving cooking skills, as well as building confidence to prepare good food, may have an enormously positive impact on food choice and dietary intake.”
The Programme
This National Cooking Programme is based on popular foods that are often considered to be ultra processed foods because of the ingredients used and the manufacturing processes involved. These include ready meals and takeaways. The pilot offered home cooks the chance to cook alongside expert teachers, cook with others, pose questions and at the end of each one hour session a meal will be cooked that can be eaten for dinner immediately.
Recipes included making sauces, soups, bread (yeast breads and quick breads), pastry and stews, alongside healthier treats and options.
Reinforcement and repetition built up a good understanding of key principles and the course culminated in making a lasagne on the final day which used multiple recipes that had been previously learnt and then assembled.
“One of the many things I learnt on your wonderful cooking programme was the importance of properly browning onions to really bring out the flavour and that it may take some time to do it.” Penny
The Outcome
Respondents were asked to select their top 3 classes. Roast Chicken & Vegetables was top, followed by Two Simple Soups and Pizza & Salad .
- ➡ 91.8% of respondents either agree or strongly agree that the National Cooking Programme increased their knowledge of cooking terms and techniques
- ➡ 89.4% of respondents either agree or strongly agree that the National Cooking Programme increased their knowledge of recipes when cooking from scratch
- ➡ 83.5% of respondents either agree or strongly agree that the National Cooking Programme increased their confidence in cooking from scratch
“I only came across the programme on the last day and was gutted I had not joined from the beginning. I started cooking when I became a mum because I wanted my child to have healthy meals. But I lack confidence and knowledge and just wing it, never really satisfied with the finished product. The programme has really encouraged me to cook more and I learnt so much from 1 course [class]. I hope you run more of these for people like me who were never taught to cook!”
Collaboration
The course gained media support from some key people and organisations across the food industry including, Henry Dimbleby, Stephanie Slater of School Food Matters, the Sustainable Food Trust, the Guild of Food Writers, Pipers Farm, The Oxford School of Marketing, Sustain, Helen Browning and the Soil Association.
Sponsors
The course was in part sponsored by two of Cookery School’s suppliers, Two Chicks and Shipton Mill and we received a small community-based grant from The Elizabeth Fund, at The Cooks Company.
The wider context
We are living in a health crisis, with consumption of ultra processed foods at an all time high, coupled with a decline of culinary skills, knowledge and confidence over several generations. Meanwhile, we see a need for food sustainability education so that individuals can consider not only their own health but the health of the planet when making dietary choices.
Long-term, we can create more resilient communities through food and cooking education programmes, including learning to become confident home cooks, learning about food sustainability, health, diet and wellbeing and enjoying sharing food together, plus gaining new skills which provide a springboard to becoming professional cooks and chefs.
“I thought the course was brilliant – so much work had obviously gone into the preparation to bring this to us live – for a whole month… I can also say that the course has also given me some tips in delivering some of the community work that I do (healthy cooking workshops with a Nepalese group of elders) so thank you for this.” Wendy
Category
Courses National Cooking Programme
