Our Aims
Learning to cook is the gateway to eating well and enjoying good food but it also brings about a whole host of equally important benefits, such as:
- Improved life skills
- Positive family relationships
- Improved self-confidence
- Reduced social isolation and loneliness
- Less landfill and a reduction in avoidable food waste.
Healthy Living
Many people are increasingly becoming more reliant on pre-prepared foods because of a lack of cooking skills. Convenience foods can be expensive and high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, which is contributing to the rise of obesity. Research also shows that physical health and diet can have a detrimental effect to mental wellbeing. Here at The Let’s Cook Project, we are targeting the gap in knowledge of how to shop for, prepare and cook healthier foods with the aim of improving the health of the nation.
Community
Our work with communities across the UK has shown that cooking can improve social skills, reduce isolation, increase self-esteem and encourage community spirit. These benefits enhance an overall healthy lifestyle and lead to benefits across employment, education and family life.
Children and Young Adults
At The Let’s Cook Project, we work with children’s and family centres to focus on health in the all important early years of childhood. Many children are going hungry in the U.K. today and we support programmes that address holiday hunger, malnutrition and attainment. We enjoy working with Primary and Secondary schools to bring food alive in the classroom and empower future generations with the knowledge to lead a healthy lifestyle. We are also involved in exciting projects to equip young adults with the techniques and confidence to cook and eat healthily on a budget and from scratch, aiming to make the transition from home to independent living a little less daunting.
Adults
Sadly, we know that many adults in the UK do not have the skills and knowledge to provide a healthy and affordable diet for themselves and their families. We are passionate about addressing these inequalities through our work with a range of charitable organisations, local authorities and corporate partners.