£2m to teach teens to cook

THE Government has announced a £2 million recruitment drive for specialists to teach teenagers to cook.

Teaching assistants are to be employed at every secondary school in the country to help run practical cooking classes.

The move is the latest phase in revamping cooking in secondary schools which will become compulsory in 2011.

Schools secretary Ed Balls also confirmed that he is planning to distribute the Government’s “Real Meals” cookery book for children through supermarkets nationwide next year.

Award-winning chef Phil Vickery is backing the book, which is available free for all 11-year--olds in England. It contains 32 healthy versions of old favourites, including spaghetti bolognese, risotto, lamb hot pot, lamb rogan josh, chow mein and apple crumble.

Mr Balls also wants supermarkets to distribute recipe cards, aimed at children, which give a healthy twist to foods such as burgers and pizzas.

Mr Balls said: “We are making sure that all children will learn basic cooking skills at school and we are putting the funding and staff in to make that a reality.”

Today’s announcement is part of the Government’s wider fight against childhood obesity.

Figures released last month show more than nine in 10 children in Oldham are taking part in two hours of physical exercise a week in school — an increase from 68 per cent in 2005.

The current 93 per cent achievement puts Oldham in the top handful of local authorities with only eight councils areas beating the rating.