More than half of young people in the UK are not confident cooking a meal for themselves or others, according to new research. Many say they cannot prepare everyday dishes such as soup or curry, and struggle to identify appropriate portion sizes.
In response, the Scouts have relaunched their chef's badge for 10-14-year-olds, in partnership with chef Ainsley Harriott and meal-kit company HelloFresh. The updated badge includes a new focus on reducing food waste, food storage and meal planning.
Harriott said cooking is about far more than feeding yourself. 'It's a social skill that just brings people together,' he said. He recalled a viewer who wrote in after trying a jacket potato recipe from his show, and later became a chef. 'I thought, bloody hell…'
Nutrition experts say basic cooking skills are fundamental for long-term health. Bridget Benelam of the British Nutrition Foundation said they allow people to incorporate plenty of vegetables, wholegrains, pulses and lean protein into a balanced diet. Cooking skills also help people eat healthily on a budget.
However, many young people are growing up without the skills previous generations learned by watching parents and grandparents cook. Longer working hours, busy schedules and the convenience of ready meals have reduced opportunities for children to see cooking in action.
Baby and child nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed said that before a child will want to cook, they first need to develop a love for food. 'If a child hasn't developed a real enjoyment of eating… then teaching them to chop an onion may be rather missing the point,' she said.
