Parents gain 'confidence' from cooking project

More than half of those taking part in a cooking project to help families lead healthier lives said it had improved their "confidence" around food and lifestyle choices.

The 50 Families Project, which is supported by local charities and the University of Northampton, spent a year with families teaching them how to shop and cook.

It promoted healthy, economical eating to help reduce pressures, including cost-of-living challenges, on the 50 families who accessed the services.

The scheme now offers a toolkit for other people wishing to run similar projects.

Recognising culture and inclusion was also part of the project's aim.

It has been funded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation on behalf of Food4Heroes, evaluated by the University of Northampton, and delivered by Home-Start Northampton, Power of the Mind Networks, and The Spring Charity.

Although some interventions, such as food banks, already exist in the county, they only offer short-term solutions and very little for families to "take away" and use in the home, the organisers said.

Academics at the University of Northampton completed a report about the impact of the 50 Families Project.

Key findings included that 52% of participants reported an increased awareness of healthy eating and lifestyle choices, while 59% felt either "very confident" or "confident" with their cooking at the end of the project.

Some 82% of parents said their own health improved as a result of taking part.

One participant said: "Before 50 Families I wasn't a great cook… now I cook everything every day from fresh."

Another added: "It's helped me plan meals better, waste less food, and feel more confident about putting nutritious meals together for my children."

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