In the months of August and September ANFPP held four cooking and nutrition classes, the clients in the program engaged in both the theory and the practical work. Some of the things they learnt about were the food pyramid and what should your plate consist of each day and how much fruit and vegetables should be consumed.

The workshop covered the sugars and fats in common things that are sold locally , the effects of food that aren’t too good for you and how they affect your body and energy, healthy alternatives, quick and easy healthy recipes , baby food and purees.

All the clients that attended were well engaged and loved the practical side which included prep, cutting and slicing skills, measuring, stirring, cooking, reading from a recipe, tasting new foods, combining spices, presenting and plating. Over the four classes most clients attending all and there was a prize for the most creative as clients got take home packs of the items that they cooked that day. Many clients were excited to about the take home packs and couldn’t wait to cook for their own families.

The nutrition mentor was impressed by the determination of the clients as most clients weren’t confident in cooking but at the end of the course they were all excited and motivated to do more and most clients asked when the next class would be.

A client won a gift pack for being the most creative when it came to cooking at home, the client attending 3 classes and missed one as she gave birth to her daughter but she quoted two days after giving birth and still in hospital “do you think I can still come please”! It’s great to see the clients having and amazing time and learning new skills but also making friends within the group and positively working together in a group.

The feedback from the cooking and nutrition day was very positive and we will look forward to running another in the future. Written by Taleah- AFPW