Rising cost of food discussed at special lunch

An Acton based charity hosted a lunch made entirely from saved surplus food and cooked by The Kids Cookery School.

The three-course lunch at City Harvest’s distribution centre in Acton Vale was based on food-surplus and cooked by The Kids’ Cookery School team from their mobile pop-up kitchen; KCS-On-Wheels.

The rising cost of food and large number of families that are struggling with limited food budgets is an increasing concern across the Borough and more broadly across London. A lack of nutritional knowledge and especially cooking skills of some families can contribute to a wide range of long term problems for young children.

A range of initiatives were discussed including improved communication and co-ordination and more teaching of cooking skills and nutritional knowledge, both in schools and other community spaces.

Laura Winningham, Chief Executive of City Harvest said: “At City Harvest we are dedicated to reducing food poverty by collecting food surplus and delivering it to organisations that feed the vulnerable but we recognise that education about food is just as important for a long term improvement in nutrition”

Fiona Hamilton-Fairley, Chief Executive of The Kids’ Cookery School said: “ Greater knowledge of nutrition and cooking is a fundamental first step to enable people to improve the quantity and the quality of their diets and foster long term health, that is The Kids’ Cookery School’s mission”

Hitesh Tailor, Ealing Councillor with Cabinet responsibility for Health and Wellbeing said: “It was important to see the work of both City Harvest and the Kids Cookery School in action. The value of healthy nutrition cannot be underestimated given the long term impact on people’s health. I’m fully aware of the struggles families have faced in the age of austerity and I am encouraged by the commitment of voluntary organisations to address these important issues.”

18th December 2017