Ready Steady Cook For Uni!

Year 13 students at Charters School took part in a truly memorable Personal Development lesson this week as they welcomed members of our school catering team for a hands-on cooking workshop. Designed to prepare them for independent living, the session focused on essential nutritional skills to help students look after themselves when they move away from home for the first time.

Organised by Peter Butterworth, Regional Operations Manager at the school's catering team, Impact Food, the workshop featured live cooking stations where students could practice their culinary skills using healthy, affordable, and nutritionally balanced ingredients. Peter also shared invaluable advice on stocking a student kitchen, highlighting the key 'store cupboard' essentials that make home cooking simple and cost-effective.

In addition to cooking with the school's chefs, students took part in an interactive food quiz, reinforcing their understanding of how to plan a balanced diet on a budget. A particularly insightful tip from Peter was to shop for kitchen essentials like cutlery, crockery, and pans in charity shops, as students only need a few items rather than a full matching set.

The session was met with enthusiasm, with students embracing the opportunity to build confidence in the kitchen before heading off to university or independent living. Learning how to prepare nutritious meals on a budget is an invaluable life skill, and this workshop provided an excellent foundation for their future culinary independence.

Take a look at the recipe book below, to try some of the recipes the students cooked on the day: 
Get Ready For Uni Cook Book

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Peter and the Impact Food team for their time, expertise, and enthusiasm in delivering such a valuable and enjoyable session.