Dame Prue Leith and Delia Smith call for cooking in primary schools
Famous names from the world of food, Dame Prue Leith, Delia Smith and Stanley Tucci, are backing a call to get children cooking at primary school.
The trio are taking their campaign to parliament on Friday, as they argue that hands‑on cooking lessons lead to significant improvements in pupils’ cooking and key life skills, as well as their understanding of healthy eating.
They are calling on the Government to do more to get children cooking as soon as they start school at the age of four by having access to regular practical cookery lessons.
They said that since cooking facilities were removed from schools, hands-on cookery has been infrequent and is only squeezed in when time allows.
Dame Prue, who founded Leiths cooking school in 1975, said: “The best way to create the healthiest generation of children in history is to make sure that they have the skills to cook healthy meals from scratch.
“Practical cookery in primary schools gives children these skills, as well as the confidence and curiosity to cook at home, opening up myriad opportunities for their health, education and futures.”
Leiths has previously announced its commitment to teaching every child at state primary schools in the UK to cook, through a new free video-led set of cookery education resources.
The free resources offer every child the opportunity to learn to cook nutritious food from scratch by the time they leave primary school.
Smith, who has sold more than 20 million cookery books during her 50 years in the industry, said: “All I’ve tried to do in my career is take away the fear of cooking, because people can’t cook unless someone shows them how.
“In order to feel confident in the kitchen, cookery lessons need to start early on, in primary school, where children are naturally curious and want to be creative.
“When a child learns to make a simple meal, they’re learning far more than a recipe.
“They’re learning about nutrition, about where food comes from, about self-sufficiency. They’re learning they can feed themselves properly, which is one of the most empowering things we can teach.”
Hollywood actor Tucci, who has become a successful food writer in more recent years, said: “Being a passionate foodie, I do try to instil the same passion in my children.
“So we cook together a lot and make sharing a meal as a family a priority. It does seem a failure of our education system that so many children are leaving school without the skills to cook delicious, healthy meals from scratch.
“When children don’t learn to cook, they miss out on basic skills but also on some of the greatest joys and pleasures of life.
“A passion for food and cooking, an understanding of ingredients and nutrition, they’re all essential to develop happy, independent, joyful, healthy children and future adults.”
Research by Leiths has found that three-quarters (75%) of primary pupils do not receive regular cookery lessons, despite Government guidance that a diet based on natural ingredients and cooked from scratch is linked to positive health outcomes for children and adults.
The Department For Education has been approached for comment.
Published: by Radio NewsHub