Nutrition in Practice

Facilitated by: Liz Rafferty, Dietitian, Life Coach & Parent
Supported by: Nicola Scully, Life Coach & Parent

Programme for: 9 to 12-year-old children.
Duration: 6 x 1.5 hours Saturdays 10.00am -11.30am or 2.00 – 3.30pm
Number of Participants: 8 – 12 children
Suggested Venues: Family Life Centres, Family Resource Centres, Venues accommodating youth groups
This course could also serve as a 3 x half day summer camp: 10am – 1pm

Background

Good food habits can enhance both health and happiness in the home. Good health and happiness enhance confidence. Being able to prepare and produce tasty nutritious meals and snacks helps everyone to feel better and improves relationships.

All too often nowadays there isn’t enough attention paid to the importance of providing good food in our homes. Parents are very busy with work, travel, evening activities, commitments and other demands on our time. Food and meals may be an afterthought while meals and snacks may be “grabbed” and eaten “on the run”.

Today’s children are not spending as much time in the kitchen, observing and helping with the planning and preparation of family meals as in the past. The result is that, as well as not having regard for the contribution of good nutrition to their overall health (both mental and physical health) and confidence, some teenagers have grown up not having the essential skill of knowing how to prepare their own food. This leaves them at a great disadvantage in terms of resilience and self-care when they embark on life as young independent adults.

This course aims to expose children to whole involvement in handling food and preparing meals and snacks from an early age. As well as learning about safety and important kitchen skills, there is a focus on learning how to look after one’s health. The course content is age appropriate, happiness-based, and practical. As part of their homework the children are encouraged to practice what they have learned on this course in their own homes.

Objectives

The children will:
1. Learn new skills eg

i) kitchen safety
ii) food preparation and simple cooking
iii) keeping the kitchen clean and tidy

2. Learn about the benefits of Good Nutrition – better health, strength, energy

3. Prepare some nutritious, simple, tasty, low-cost foods

i) Breakfasts (week 1)
ii) lunches (week 2)
iii) snacks (week 3)
iv) fruit-based foods (week 4)
iv) family foods and (week 5)
v) healthier desserts (week 6)

4. Improve food-related attitudes and behaviours on an ongoing and long-term basis

5. Ease family tensions – by enhancing relationships through the joy of sharing food

6. Improve confidence and self-esteem through participating in this course and learning these skills.

The price for this course is available on request from Liz or Nicola.