Blog by Freya Harrap, February 2024
Food Literacy: the forgotten skill
Are you able to create a weekly shopping list that is within budget, nutritionally balanced, and tailored to your household’s needs? For some, this is just an unremarkable part of their weekly task list; yet for many, this is a task that is becoming increasingly overwhelming and unachievable. Increasingly it is now a privilege to have the knowledge, time, and skills to be able to tick all the above. In our recently released, ‘Food Matters in Prisons’ briefing, we highlighted the significant role of food in prison and its potential to have a positive impact on the lives of those held in them. In this series of blogs, published each week, we will go into more detail about the specific role that food can play in prison.
Last week we released a blog about the role of food within a rehabilitative culture. Food literacy is an essential part of the rehabilitation process as it allows individuals to take control over the food they eat. Food literacy is defined as ‘understanding the impact of your food choices on your health, the environment, and our economy’.
This blog focusses on the benefits of food education in supporting essential life skills, which Food Matters has observed first hand. Food Matters currently communicates with the women’s estate through regular newsletter Her Wellbeing , delivers 6-week courses across the estate and has delivered a distance learning food and mood course to around 500 people during Covid- click here for more details.
This is not to say that everyone in the criminal justice system cannot cook, cannot budget, and cannot distinguish between what is healthy and what is not. Much to the contrary, we know that many people do cook in prisons, whether in kitchens or kettles.
But what is the impact of not having these skills?
We all have to eat. Lacking cooking skills can have a profound impact on various aspects of an individual’s life. From a nutritional standpoint, reliance on processed and convenience foods may lead to a diet lacking in good nutrition, potentially contributing to health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular problems, and nutrient deficiencies. Financially, a dependence on takeout or pre-packaged meals can strain budgets, as these options can be more expensive than cooking at home.
Beyond these practical implications, the inability to cook can also limit social interactions, as shared meals are often integral to cultural and social experiences. The impact of not being able to cook and not understanding nutritional needs extends beyond the kitchen, affecting health, finances, and social well-being.
‘Two men that I work with, one is a good cook, the other one relies on him to cook his food. And the one who is cooked for, tail end of last year, started to panic, because the one that can cook is going to be moved on. And he actually said to me, “Can you do a talk on nutrition, because when my friend goes who is going to cook for me? I have not got a clue what to cook. How would I cook it? What sort of foods should I have? What goes with that? What is a good diet?” – Drug Treatment Worker at a high security prison.
Food education is instrumental in cultivating crucial life skills. More than just teaching individuals about nutrition and cooking techniques, classes instil valuable skills such as meal planning, budgeting, and understanding food sources. They provide a supportive environment to make mistakes, ask questions and experiment. These sessions can empower people through the understanding that their existing knowledge of food is helpful to others and builds upon this foundation to help extend the skills that participants already have. They equip people with the skills to be able to alter recipes to fit what they have available to them, in doing so building up confidence in adapting recipes. These experiences help build self-efficacy – the ‘belief in one’s ability to complete a task or achieve a goal’.
Food education sessions, like the courses delivered by Food Matters, are a vital foundation for building skills in organisation, creativity, teamwork, planning, building a routine, responsibility, safety, and community: all essential skills for participating in society independently. In our recent parliamentary briefing, we highlight how measures such as adopting the ‘Food for Life’‘ standards could be a step towards improving food literacy in prisons. These are standards that provide accreditation based on areas such as sustainability and food education and encourage institutions to provide a more holistic food environment. The introduction of a new role of Head of Learning and Skills into all prisons is an opportunity to review and refresh existing provision through the focal point of food, including access to opportunities for people in prison to learn cooking, gardening, and other life skills alongside work-focussed skills.
Moreover, preparing food for self and others promotes a deeper connection with food, encouraging mindful eating habits and an appreciation for diverse cuisines. By equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their food, they are supported to have greater capacity for improving mental health, behaviour, and learning capabilities.
Food literacy empowers people to lead healthier and more productive lives.
You can read and download Food Matters in Prisons here.
You can read and download the Executive Summary here.
Blog by Freya Harrap, February 2024
Food Literacy: the forgotten skill
Are you able to create a weekly shopping list that is within budget, nutritionally balanced, and tailored to your household’s needs? For some, this is just an unremarkable part of their weekly task list; yet for many, this is a task that is becoming increasingly overwhelming and unachievable. Increasingly it is now a privilege to have the knowledge, time, and skills to be able to tick all the above. In our recently released, ‘Food Matters in Prisons’ briefing, we highlighted the significant role of food in prison and its potential to have a positive impact on the lives of those held in them. In this series of blogs, published each week, we will go into more detail about the specific role that food can play in prison.
Last week we released a blog about the role of food within a rehabilitative culture. Food literacy is an essential part of the rehabilitation process as it allows individuals to take control over the food they eat. Food literacy is defined as ‘understanding the impact of your food choices on your health, the environment, and our economy’.
This blog focusses on the benefits of food education in supporting essential life skills, which Food Matters has observed first hand. Food Matters currently communicates with the women’s estate through regular newsletter Her Wellbeing , delivers 6-week courses across the estate and has delivered a distance learning food and mood course to around 500 people during Covid- click here for more details.
This is not to say that everyone in the criminal justice system cannot cook, cannot budget, and cannot distinguish between what is healthy and what is not. Much to the contrary, we know that many people do cook in prisons, whether in kitchens or kettles.
But what is the impact of not having these skills?
We all have to eat. Lacking cooking skills can have a profound impact on various aspects of an individual’s life. From a nutritional standpoint, reliance on processed and convenience foods may lead to a diet lacking in good nutrition, potentially contributing to health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular problems, and nutrient deficiencies. Financially, a dependence on takeout or pre-packaged meals can strain budgets, as these options can be more expensive than cooking at home.
Beyond these practical implications, the inability to cook can also limit social interactions, as shared meals are often integral to cultural and social experiences. The impact of not being able to cook and not understanding nutritional needs extends beyond the kitchen, affecting health, finances, and social well-being.
‘Two men that I work with, one is a good cook, the other one relies on him to cook his food. And the one who is cooked for, tail end of last year, started to panic, because the one that can cook is going to be moved on. And he actually said to me, “Can you do a talk on nutrition, because when my friend goes who is going to cook for me? I have not got a clue what to cook. How would I cook it? What sort of foods should I have? What goes with that? What is a good diet?” – Drug Treatment Worker at a high security prison.
Food education is instrumental in cultivating crucial life skills. More than just teaching individuals about nutrition and cooking techniques, classes instil valuable skills such as meal planning, budgeting, and understanding food sources. They provide a supportive environment to make mistakes, ask questions and experiment. These sessions can empower people through the understanding that their existing knowledge of food is helpful to others and builds upon this foundation to help extend the skills that participants already have. They equip people with the skills to be able to alter recipes to fit what they have available to them, in doing so building up confidence in adapting recipes. These experiences help build self-efficacy – the ‘belief in one’s ability to complete a task or achieve a goal’.
Food education sessions, like the courses delivered by Food Matters, are a vital foundation for building skills in organisation, creativity, teamwork, planning, building a routine, responsibility, safety, and community: all essential skills for participating in society independently. In our recent parliamentary briefing, we highlight how measures such as adopting the ‘Food for Life’‘ standards could be a step towards improving food literacy in prisons. These are standards that provide accreditation based on areas such as sustainability and food education and encourage institutions to provide a more holistic food environment. The introduction of a new role of Head of Learning and Skills into all prisons is an opportunity to review and refresh existing provision through the focal point of food, including access to opportunities for people in prison to learn cooking, gardening, and other life skills alongside work-focussed skills.
Moreover, preparing food for self and others promotes a deeper connection with food, encouraging mindful eating habits and an appreciation for diverse cuisines. By equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their food, they are supported to have greater capacity for improving mental health, behaviour, and learning capabilities.
Food literacy empowers people to lead healthier and more productive lives.
You can read and download Food Matters in Prisons here.
You can read and download the Executive Summary here.
