Healthy Cooking on a Budget

Plan

Supporting Document: GAA Healthy Eating Guidelines

The Healthy Club project team carried out a community wide survey to ascertain what areas of health the club and wider community would like to see focused on. Healthy eating was one of the major themes that emerged from the survey.

The Healthy Club project team organised Healthy Cooking on a Family Budget in partnership with a local chef and nutritionist with experience delivering cookery workshops within the community sector. Healthy Cooking on a Family Budget is a 5 week program for families cooking on a budget.

The team were successful in receiving funding for the initiative through the Ann Mc Geeney Trust fund.

Partners

Within the club:

• Club Executive
• Members of the Health Club Project group
• Parents.

Outside the club:

• Funding from Ann Mc Geeney Trust fund – Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (covered facilitator’s fee)
• Local chef and nutritionist, Aine Boyle from Aine’s Kitchen
• St Peters Parish Centre- venue with fully equipped kitchen and adjoining hall which is used for various Parish and private social and educational events and activities.
• Down GAA Health & Wellbeing Committee (chair.hwc.down@gaa.ie)

The Healthy Club project team were responsible for the funding application, promoting the programme, recruiting participants and organising a venue while Aine Boyle from Aine’s Kitchen provided the resources, equipment and expertise to deliver the programme and she is fully insured.

The partnership with St Peters Parish Centre worked well as the club didn’t have the facilities on site to deliver the programme and for some time, consideration had been given into how the centre can be utilised more fully to provide for the wider community, and those who are disadvantaged.

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Activity

Healthy Cooking on a Family Budget is a 5 week program for families cooking on a budget with the aim to make 5 nutritious family meals in twenty minutes. Classes took place in St Peters Parish Centre and cost £10 per family or £2 per night attended.

The programme aims to provide nutrition knowledge and practical cooking skills to participants. It was open to families of all ages both within the club and the wider community. The aim was to empower families by providing the tools and skills necessary to cook healthy and affordable meals with the intention to establish long term and whole family benefits.

A number of ingredient parcels were made up and raffled each evening, for winners to take home and prepare the demonstrated meal.

The club advertised the programme as widely as possible, through the Parish Bulletin, Club and Parish Facebook, Txt to database of Club members, and flyers to parents at the three local schools (St. Mark’s, St. Dallan’s and Dromore Road, Primary).

The Club

Over the five weeks average weekly attendance was 32 ranging in age between 8 and 75 years. The majority of participants were mums with only 3 men participating. The feedback from participants was positive with many learning about simple cost effective ways to make their shopping and cooking healthier for the family. It also created a social outlet for many of the participants. The club plan to run this course again going forward.

Quotes from participants:

“Great course, learnt loads and it was a nice way to spend an hour on a Friday”

“Loved all the tips for making simple chamgs to eth family shopping and cooking”

“I liked the way she made it so simple to cook healthy and cheaper. Much cheaper and quicker than getting a carry out”

“My kids like the turkey meat balls, didn’t let on they were healthier”

“Great tips on spicing up simple foods, brilliant thanks”