What is Cook it!?
Cook it! is a programme which teaches healthy eating and enhances cooking skills. It was produced by the Health Promotion Agency especially for use in Northern Ireland and is aimed at low income groups.
What takes place in a Cook it! programme?
Cook it! is a course of six sessions covering healthy eating, food hygiene and including practical hands-on cookery. The sessions and their content are as follows:
Session One: Health on a plate
Introduction to the Balance of Good Health
The five food groups
Basic food hygiene
Session Two: Find out about fibre
Bread, other cereals and potatoes group
Fibre and vitamins
Practical cookery
Session Three: Fabulous Fruit & Vegetables
Fruit and vegetable group
Eating 5 a day
Practical cookery
Session Four: Counting on calcium
Milk and milk products group
Calcium
Practical cookery
Session Five: Protein Providers
Meat, fish and alternatives group,
Protein, iron, vitamin B12,
Vegetarian alternatives
Practical cookery
Session Six: A little bit of what you fancy!!
Foods containing fat and foods containing sugar,
Fat and sugar content of foods
Food labelling
Where does Cook it! take place?
The Oak Healthy Living Centre is running Cook It! sessions in Carrowshee Community Centre, Lisnaskea and Connon's Hall early 2010.
Who can deliver Cook it!
Cook it is delivered by tutors who have completed the Cook it! training course. These tutors are recruited from community and voluntary groups.
How can I become a Cook it! tutor?
Training is organised and delivered by the Cook it team with input from Environmental Health Officers and other Cook it! tutors.
Training lasts two days and covers the principles of healthy eating using the Balance of Good Health, food hygiene, kitchen safety, group skills and problem solving, plus practical exercises in using the Cook it! pack and taking part in a Cook it session.
A programme of further training and updating for Cook it! tutors is also organised by the Cook it! team.
Who is Cook it! for?
Cook it! is suitable for use with a wide variety of groups including women’s and men’s group’s, older people in sheltered accommodation or day care groups, residents in homeless hostels, mother and toddler groups, young/single parents, young people leaving residential care, youth clubs, offenders during rehabilitation programmes, adults with mental health problems etc.
Cook it! is not designed for use with children, frail elderly people or people with conditions requiring specialist dietary advice eg coeliac disease.