Schools to teach parents cookery

The council said it had improved the menus at its schools

Parents will be offered cookery lessons in a bid to improve the diets of school pupils in Carmarthenshire.

The county's new nutrition strategy is targeting what youngsters eat at home as well as at school.

The Women's Institute (WI) and adult education department will run classes to improve parents' basic skills, including cooking from the school menu.

The council will also try to persuade chip shops and retailers near schools to offer healthy eating options.

Elin Cullen, who helped to draw up the strategy, said over the past three years a lot of effort had been made to improve the food on offer at school canteens by promoting healthy options and buying more local ingredients.

"Head teachers are now saying since we have done away with the processed food the children are far better behaved after lunch," she said.

The focus is on getting the basics right, getting them to enjoy food and to enjoy sitting down together for a meal and having a chat Mair Stephens, WI

"What we are now looking at doing is trying to influence the packed lunches that children bring in so there is no pop, no biscuits or crisps.

"In some schools, especially the more urban schools, some of the year groups are allowed out at lunchtime and they go to the local chip shop, burger van or store."

Mrs Cullen said the authority would try and encourage outlets to put as many healthy options on their menus as possible.

She also said the council, working with the local NHS trust and health board, would be running workshops and cookery classes for parents who wanted them.

Terrific improvement

A pilot project run by volunteers from the WI has been staged in Llanelli.

Mair Stephens, who helped teach some of the classes, said: "We have been doing classes on basic cooking skills for young parents when needed.

"The focus is on getting the basics right, getting them to enjoy food and to enjoy sitting down together for a meal and having a chat.

"We saw a terrific amount of improvement. My feeling is that there is very little actual cooking taught in schools these days, so some young parents missed out."

The nutrition strategy has been approved by senior councillors and will be circulated to all schools in the county.

Mrs Cullen said it covered all aspects of healthy eating - not just parental involvement - and was not forced on schools but drawn up to offer guidance on best practice.