During Cook and Share Month, people across the UK got together for fun-fuelled community events, centred around the joy of good food.  

The National House Project supports young people leaving care to lead connected and fulfilling lives. The project focuses on developing vital life skills and building bonds in the community. Cook and Share went down a treat with young folk at the Midlothian House Project group, who cooked up a storm while gaining valuable skills.  

From homemade pizza to chocolate fudge cake, they tested and tasted a host of delicious and nutritious recipes, sharing ideas and showcasing their culinary skills with their community.  

Becky Reynolds, Practice Lead at The National House Project said: “Cook and Share compliments the House Project’s programme really well, inspiring young people to cook healthy and budget friendly meals, while building their confidence, independence and ownership.” 

Bringing communities together to enjoy a  meal cooked from scratch can help tackle loneliness, form friendships and bring down barriers, which is something we love to do at Food for Life Get Togethers. 

Becky continued: “Cook and Share also contributes to the development of skills in healthy eating, shopping, budgeting, and food safety. Young people receive AQA certificates for completing each module in the programme, which helps secure further employment or training and has even led to some young people seeking careers in the food industry.” 

“Cooking with others also helps the group form a deeper understanding of everyone’s diverse needs and preferences, such as vegetarian or Halal diets, as well as taking turns to do the washing up!” 

An important part of Cook and Share Month is helping people to cook from scratch, which has health benefits and often has a lower carbon footprint than alternative ultra-processed foods.  

With Covid still impacting our ability to meet for in-person events, we’ve got some handy tips for staying connected. From cook-alongs at home to sharing what happened at your event via video!  

Covid Secure Events  

For the latest guidelines around hosting a Covid-secure event, please visit our guidance page here .