Cooking Kids.

Well not exactly cooking kids more kids' cooking classes. I started a series of classes in our local community centre/sports complex recently. When I first broached the idea with the committee they were surprisingly enthusiastic. Well the centre does promote health and fitness and it was an idea to cover all aspects of health.

So far we have had two classes. We decided twelve was the maximum we could cope with at any one class and for the first class we had just that. Second week and seventeen kids show up. We didn't turn them away but from next week we need to either run two classes or just go with the original twelve who booked initially.

I am concentrating on healthy eating but using recipes that have "kid appeal". Lots of vegetables, hidden and not so hidden. Lots of - "yuks", lots of - "I don't like that" (this is now banned, they must say "I'm not so keen on....."). But I had one girl who said she never ate any veg try some red pepper at the first class and in the second class admit she couldn't taste the hidden veg.  Progress.

The first week we made spring rolls and chicken Chow Mein. Billed as make your own healthy Chinese take away.  The second week we made pizza using real dough.  For next week I asked them to choose their favourite processed food and we will make it. They chose chicken goujons. They have also requested meat balls and brownies.

They are very enthusiastic and quite knowledgeable in that they have been able to name most of the vegetables including freshly dug carrot, ginger and a bulb of garlic. So I'm not dealing with Jamie Oliver's documentary level of ignorance.

We have visited a couple of local schools to let them know what we are doing and aim to get around them all in next couple of weeks. It takes an age now with security plus clearing it with the secretary, then the head, then the class teacher. Such a change from even my kids' school days!

Some of the mothers waiting for the kids came up to me after and said they had learned a lot just from listening. They have requested I do adult classes as well. The first one starts tomorrow evening.

I have found BBC Good Food a very useful website as they even have a dedicated children's section.

From small acorns........

Choosing pizza toppings

Getting children interested and enthusiastic about cooking, nutrition and food is the best way to combat obesity and to encourage them to have a healthier diet. While they are cooking I am drip feeding them nutritional information. At this age they are like sponges and they retain the information in spite of themselves.