I have great memories of cooking with my mum and my nan and the skills I learnt back then have stayed with me right into adult-hood. I feel learning even the basics of cookery is so important and recently I read a report on the benefits of baking as a family. The report impressed me so much, I have decided to post it here. It is a long report but a very worthwhile read, so make a cuppa, sit comfortably and find out how cooking together really can effect kid’s lives.

Cooking lessons will be compulsory at secondary schools as part of the Government’s strategy to fight obesity.

All 11 to 14-year-old pupils must learn how to make at least one healthy meal, ministers have announced.

Schools will have to introduce packed lunch guidelines, cracking down on parents who provide crisps, fizzy drinks and chocolate.

The Government wants the public to recommend dishes that should be taught in schools, although suggestions have to be healthy, easy to prepare and palatable to teenagers.

Welcome to our second feature about Plum Baby and their fantastic organic foods and recipes. For the first Plum Baby feature, click here. We fell in love with this company and all they stand for but we had a few questions and Susie Willis (creator of Plum Baby) very kindly let us interrogate her! So, without further ado, here are Susie’s words and some more recipes from her wonderful organic baby superfood range.

Something I have noticed since turning thirty, is that most of my friends are getting married or having babies, I guess it’s an age thing! My friends that are mothers or mothers to be, all share one major concern, how to make sure they provide a healthy balanced diet for their children. Ingredients and nutrition are of course the greatest priority but time and cost play large roles too.

Following on from David’s post about school lunches, Jamie Oliver is in the news again, he has now called on the government to introduce compulsory cookery lessons in schools.

He told The Sun:
“Here’s what I propose – compulsory cooking lessons for all schoolchildren from primary school up to 16. One of my dreams is for all of our kids to be able to cook their children a lovely roast because they’ve been taught in school and know about good, wholesome ingredients.”
I remember cookery lessons at school, (or home economics as it was called then), and I thoroughly enjoyed them! I come from a very foodie background, so maybe I’m lucky but I have to agree with Jamie, it’s really is important to know how to cook and how to feed yourself properly from an early age. When I was at university, I had a housemate who would regularly horrify me with her food choices – eating tuna out of the can sprinkled with cayenne pepper was a particular favourite of hers – not mine I’d like to add!!

You may remember the big who-har that happened around a year ago regarding UK School Dinners and the role that Jamie Oliver played. Since then many parents have been stopping their children from eating school dinners, instead opting to send them off with a scrummy and healthy pack lunch… can’t say we blame them.

Now it has transpired that a little over 1 year since Jamies outstanding campaign, or perhaps it should be called a crusade, The Government has unveiled a major new package of measures and additional funding to complement the beginning of the new school food standards which were announced last year following the Jamie Oliver Campaign – to ban junk food such as chips etc.

This may have been a long time coming but it is probably one of the best steps in the right direction that this country has had in a long time, especially with the recent news coverage on obesity issues within the nation. The best thing that can happen is to target children of a young age and get them experimenting with fresh and healthy foods rather than take aways and fry ups.