Non-profit organisation, ‘Bags of Taste, is offering Mentored Home Cooking Courses for disadvantaged people across the city.
Liesel Otteakers, Sheffield Area Head of Bags of Taste, said: “We offer 30 people cooking courses and we want to show people that cooking with fresh ingredients doesn’t have to be expensive and can benefit mental and physical health with our recipes at £1 a portion.”
Mrs Otteakers has only been at the organisation for a short but can already see how much it improves people’s well-being mentally and physically and said it’s an “absolutely brilliant thing” and is extremely happy to be a part of it.
I have just been here for a short time but I have seen how much it can really improve people’s well-being mentally and physically and it’s an absolutely brilliant thing and I am happy to be a part of it.”
Bags of Taste works across the country, including Sheffield, to support people struggling with their food budgets and help give them the tools and ingredients to cook confidently.
Mrs Otteakers said the organisation targets referrals for those with serious mental health problems, physical health issues, and those using food banks and they aim for people on low income and “try to help them in any way we can”.
“For people who suffer badly from various health problems just cooking a small meal can give people an overwhelming sense of achievement, and I have seen so many people and been so proud.”
The organisation works by buying food and bagging it up into separate recipes as well as including recipes, tips and measuring spoons. The three recipes are similar to a takeaway kind of food to “entice users in and make healthy food seem more attractive”.
Mrs Otteakers explained people are put into a small WhatsApp group with a volunteer mentor that explains recipes, and has basic cooking videos and little tips to make sure it doesn’t get ‘overwhelming’.
Rebecca Young, a volunteer driver for the organisation, said people don’t realise how much help is really needed and “I feel like we really take it for granted”.
Miss Young said: “I am so happy to be a small part of this organisation and I believe anyone can volunteer in their local area if they have some spare time on their hands.”
Bags of Taste are now looking for more dates for its next Mentored Home Cooking Course after the success of its last course, which took place on Tuesday 28th February.
The organisation wants people to refer anyone that they think would benefit from it as well as people to volunteer as a mentor, as a driver or bagging the food.