Download the Power Up Your Pupils with Veg packs in English and in Welsh.
As many of us find ourselves with a new role of ‘home educator’ you may have found that food related activities have naturally gained an important role in the curriculum.
From cooking, baking and growing your own food, there are lots of opportunities to try out new recipes and develop key skills in the process.
Remember that at this time, the most important focus is the wellbeing of you and your family. This is an incredibly difficult period, during which more formal education may become impossible, so do try and relax about the activities you are providing. If your children and young people enjoy them, carry on! If not, don’t force it! However, for most children cooking is akin to playing.
Thanks to The Vale Healthy Schools Scheme and Healthy Schools Cardiff for sharing some great resources that you can use at home.
Please share your own tips and examples of incorporating cooking, growing or eating into your home activities using #GoodFoodCardiff.
Welsh Government support for parents and carers
Guidance to support you and your children during the period of school closures.
Public Health Wales – Staying well at home
Information and support from Public Health Wales to support your wellbeing during the isolation period.
Daily Structure
Having some sort of structure in place every day around food will hopefully avoid constant requests (especially for unhealthy food!) Ideas:
Fruit and vegetable snack – this works best mid morning and/ or mid afternoon. You can encourage children to get involved in preparation and make sure they are washing their hands for 20 seconds.
Lunch – try the trick of only offering 2 options, both of which are healthy. Children can get involved again in preparation. Some good lunchtime ideas in the links below.
Baking – Always a great activity, even if you’ve never tried before.
Some online learning and recipe resources
British Nutrition Foundation
British Nutrition FoundationResources and ideas for remote learning for all age groups and abilities. Also plenty of easy recipe ideas. Visit here.
Cooking Together
Recipes and Cook-a-longs – more added daily. Also available on Facebook and Twitter.
Love Food Hate Waste
Great ideas and recipes using leftover food.
Top Marks
Links to activities around healthy eating.
Veg Power and Eat Them To Defeat Them
Get your kids eating more veg. The website has resources that include downloads, reward charts, lesson plans with printable worksheets and activities. Cardiff Healthy Schools also have an excellent ‘Power Up Your Pupils With Veg’ pack with loads of ideas. Download in English and in Welsh.
Growing food
Egg Seeds – Growing in a small space
Fantastic video showing how to create a growing area in a small space – even just in a bucket or on a windowsill.
More resources on the Egg Seeds webpages and YouTube channel (including updates on some brand new ducklings!)
Botanic Garden of Wales – Growing the Future resources
Great ideas for growing vegetables in small containers including tins and cardboard boxes!
Trees for Cities – Food growing lessons at home
Cardiff’s developing a network of Edible Playgrounds in schools thanks to Trees For Cities. Now everyone can get involved with a selection of lesson plans and growing guides available online.
Other ideas
- Buy local – maybe you’ll discover a new bakery or grocery store!
- Home-based food-themed scavenger hunt
- Fruit kebabs
- Fruit and vegetable poems, stories and games
- Share meals (including eating together!) with friends and family on video messaging services
- Fruit and vegetable diaries with aim of ‘5 a day’ – could include prize at the end of the week?
‘Diff Diaries – share your experiences of lockdown
7-16 years old? Share your lockdown stories through video, collage or written diary entry with the Cardiff Children’s Rights Team and fellow children and young people across the city.
Free school meals and accessing food
You can read more about the support available on our Accessing Food pages. If your child is entitled to Free School Meals, you can receive an equivalent cash transfer or supermarket voucher.
