Partner Focus – Home-Start Aberdeen’s Recipe for Life project

Home-Start Aberdeen is a volunteer-led family support charity. Since 2010 Home-Start Aberdeen has successfully run a Recipe for Life (RFL) project in partnership with NHS Grampian.

RFL encourages families to enjoy cooking and have fun in the kitchen trying out new healthy recipes. There are lots of opportunities for children to learn about food and how to make healthy choices as they grown up.

Home-Start Aberdeen co-ordinator, Fiona Cameron, leads the project on behalf of the charity. She helps to advise and train the RFL project volunteers.

“Home-Start Aberdeen supports families who have at least one child under five, so RFL covers areas such as cooking with children and using up leftovers, as well as more general skills such as menu planning and how to budget and shop for food,” she explains.

28/09/16 HOME START charity

“The focus is very much on having fun with healthy food. One of our volunteers recently commented on how much she loves watching mum including the children when we cook – and how nice it is to see them having fun together and smiling.”

Fiona has reproduced one of her favourite recipes that the Recipe for Life team uses with families:

BEAN & PASTA SOUP

Ingredients

1 small tin of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

25g pasta

½ small onion (peeled and chopped)

1 tablsp olive or sunflower oil

1 clove of garlic (peeled and chopped)

1 teasp basil

1 dessertsp tomato puree

330ml hot water

Seasoning

Method

1. In a saucepan heat the oil, add onion and garlic and cook till soft.
2. Add beans, basil, tomato puree, pasta and water cook for approx 10 minutes.
3. Season to taste.
4. Serve with crusty bread.

Home-Start Aberdeen is always eager to recruit volunteers who can help the charity share nutritional advice with supported families. To find out more, or to request support from Home-Start Aberdeen, contact fc@homestartaberdeen.org.uk.

Cook and Play!

Yesterday saw the first pilot of Cook and Play, an exciting new initiative being developed by Aberdeen City Food Network at Aberlour Primrosehill Family Centre.

Three 6 week courses will run in which parents/carers come along with their young children and learn to cook affordable, healthy, nutritious meals in a fun and engaging way together. The course is a great opportunity for the little ones to get stuck in getting messy with ingredients – tasting, touching and experiencing new foods; and bonding with their parents/carers in a new and exciting context.

As well as learning about food, and emphasis is put on key skills which can directly influence choices around healthy eating, particularly due to the focus on younger children.

The aim of the courses is ultimately to build confidence of both parent and child, so they feel more able to access, prepare, cook and eat healthy nutritious meals.

The first session was a great success, with kids and parents thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Watch this space for future updates and how to get involved!