Education Today Education Today Magazine
As school leavers prepare to look after themselves at University for the first time from next week, new research from Sainsbury’s reveals that 17 and 18 year-olds have a Cooking Age of just 12 years old. The first of its kind classification, similar to the national Reading Age, has been developed in collaboration with the British Nutritional Foundation. Based on extensive research amongst 3,000 people aged 14 to 50, a person’s Cooking Age is a benchmarks their food knowledge and cooking skills against the National Curriculum.
The research reveals that as a nation, our Cooking Age is falling short of our real age, and we are reaching it much later than we should. Just this week, practical cooking became a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for children up to the age of Year 9 for the first time in England – the government’s biggest ever nationwide push to get kids cooking and eating well.
Other key findings include
– 63% of 19 to 24 year olds are unable to rustle up simple, balanced dishes such as a shepherd’s pie.
– 44% of 17 to 18 year olds admit they are unable to make time saving, nutritious dishes like an omelette from scratch.
Sainsbury’s is releasing the findings as it sets out plans to inspire a new generation of children to eat well through its Active Kids scheme, which is 10 years old next year. With 51,000 nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools registered, Sainsbury’s will help teachers deliver these new lessons at classroom level to help boost the national Cooking Age through new curriculum-linked resources and an ambitious new nationwide schools competition.
Fronted by Ashley Banjo, Diversity founder and Britain’s Got Talent Winner, Active Kids Superstar Cooks will excite children aged 5-16 about preparing and cooking great tasting food.
Active Kids Superstar Cooks challenges pupils to cook the ultimate, great tasting, healthy meal for the chance to win £10,000 of new kitchen kit for their school plus an exclusive dance class with Ashley Banjo. It has been created for children of all ages and abilities, with entries in two age categories 5 to 11 and 11 to 16 year olds. One winning school will be selected in each of the two age groups.
For more information visit: https://activekids.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/superstar-cooks
Sainsbury’s has also produced a video which is available to view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGJmUe-qfWE&feature=youtu.be
