After-school cookery club
The recipes on the Grain Chain website would be ideal for use in an
after-school cookery club (and are also designed to be simple enough for
children to try at home). The recipes have been graded according to:
- skill level
- preparation time
- whether there is a video showing how to make the recipe.
The benefits of an after-school cookery club include:
- extending the range of extra-curricular activities offered by the school
- supporting healthier eating through cooking and eating
- preparing and sharing food gives children a sense of pride and
achievement
- cooking can create a fun and social environment which successfully
engages children and their parents to prepare and try new foods
- cooking provides an excellent opportunity for applying other skills such
as literacy, numeracy, communication, teamwork and problem-solving
techniques
- cooking skills last a lifetime and the benefits of learning to cook
reach beyond the practical; research has shown that an increase in the level
of cooking skills leads to healthier food choices.
Setting up an after-school cookery club
When setting up an after-school club, there are a number of factors you will
need to consider. These include:
- Venue – where will you hold your cookery club? Do you have a designated
‘food’ room, or a space that you can use with a little adaptation and
ingenuity? Your venue will often dictate how many children can attend. An
area in a classroom, with tables and running hot and cold water, would be a
good start. If you already have food technology facilities and equipment,
you may be able to use these for your cookery club. Alternatively, you may
need to purchase new equipment.
- Staff – who will run the club? Is there a member of staff or a parent
available?
- Volunteers – do you need to recruit some volunteers to help during the
cookery sessions? Involving family members can be a powerful way for skills
and knowledge to cross the school/home continuum and to become embedded in
daily life. They may bring expertise and knowledge about food preparation,
healthier eating, food hygiene and cookery skills. Check the school policy
on who can work with children in school; this may need to involve Criminal
Records Bureau or Police checks.
- Insurance – does the school have public liability insurance in place
that covers your activities and the out-of-school-hours timing of your club?
Check with the LEA insurance officer or the insurer to make sure that you
are covered.
- Money – who will pay for the ingredients? Can the school pay for
ingredients or will you need to ask parents/carers for a contribution? Can
you attract local sponsorship?
- Timing – when the club will run, e.g. is it once a week or fortnight?
For how long will the club operate? What time will it finish at night?
- Children – do you know how many children will attend? How are you going
to promote your club? What happens if it is over-subscribed? You will need
to send a letter home to the parents/carers of children who would like to
attend to gain permission. In addition, you will need to clarify dates,
times and any costs.
- Health and safety: Don't forget to cover all the points about kitchen
health and safety and food hygiene before pupils begin working with food.
The key points are given in IP 'Before you start: food and safety'.
- Health and safety: If pupils are making recipes in class, you need to be
absolutely sure (depending on the recipe) that no-one in your class has a
nut or gluten allergy, e.g. by writing a letter to parents to ensure that
all your pupils may take part.
- The Recipes section of this website gives lots of ideas of what to cook.
They are separated into themes, and graded according to skill level,
preparation time and whether there is a supporting video. Ensure that you
cook a variety and balance of recipes throughout the duration of the cookery
club, encouraging the use of plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Running the club
On the day, you will need to:
- Ensure that the cooking area is ready for use, e.g. is it clean and
hygienic?
- Have all the ingredients and equipment ready.
- Make sure that first aid facilities and a fire blanket are available.
- Provide children with aprons.
- You could start the club by introducing the theme and explaining what
the children will be cooking. Some clubs start with a demonstration, while
others look at the ingredients and different types of equipment.
- While the children are cooking, you can talk to them about:
any unusual ingredients
how to use specific pieces of equipment
food preparation skills and techniques
food hygiene and safety
healthy eating
shopping
where food comes from.
NB Children might want to take home the food they have made. If so you may
need to provide containers, or give advance warning to the children to provide
their own.
Breakfast club
School breakfast clubs serve food to children who arrive at school early,
before normal lessons begin. How the club works depends on each school, but
usually involves offering an informal breakfast (e.g. fruit, toast, breakfast
cereal and drinks) in a classroom or hall.
Eating breakfast is important for health, and is a good opportunity for
children to begin the day by eating bread, cereals and fruit. Eating breakfast
gives children the energy they need to cope with the school day, and helps
concentration levels.
Information and advice about breakfast clubs can be found at:
