In September 2023, We Love MCR Charity awarded £3,869 to Cracking Good Food for their 'Flavour Your Future' project.
The initiative targets parents and carers of children aged 0–4 years old, aiming to equip them with essential skills for affordable and nutritious cooking.
This month, we visited them for their final session in the 8 week course at Woodville SureStart Centre in Cheetham Hill, where they've been running 'Flavour Your Future' sessions for the local community.
The sessions aim to increase health by increasing fruit and veg intake while providing parents with tips on how to encourage their children to try healthy foods.
Molly, Cooking Leader and Project Manager at Cooking Good Food, says the funding has helped them to show young children in the local community not to fear fruit and veg, by allowing them to get involved in the cooking process, touching and preparing the foods they try at the end of each session.
"With We Love MCR's funding we've been able to deliver these important sessions to help people to eat more healthily and increase their fruit and veg intake."
"The sessions have been really interesting for us too. Over the past eight weeks we've learned a lot about the needs of the local community which helps us to inform our work and make our sessions better and more culturally appropriate."
Tabinder and her daughter Hiba have been attending the sessions with Cracking Good Food. She says:
"Hiba has been really been enjoying the sessions and is always excited to go. She enjoys cutting and is okay with trying new foods, but in Pakistan we have different cuisine so we've tried new things in the sessions."
"Some things we would usually buy from the shops but the sessions have showed me its not too tricky to make some things from scratch. Hiba is much more confident with food and likes to get involved with cooking at home, the sessions have made me more comfortable including her in the cooking process at home. She's learned new skills like passing things from one hand to the other, so the sessions helped with her development too."
With We Love MCR's support, the 'Flavour Your Future' project is making a positive impact on the health and well-being of families in Manchester.
By empowering parents and carers with the skills and resources they need to cook nutritious meals affordably, Cracking Good Food continues its mission to create a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
