Opinion and Editorial

At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, our courses aren’t about sitting in a classroom reading recipe books—they’re about rolling up sleeves, getting stuck in, and learning by doing.

Stirring Self-Belief – How Cooking Builds Confidence and Emotional Wellbeing At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we believe that cooking changes lives—not only by filling plates, but by rebuilding confidence and emotional resilience. For many of our learners, cooking is about far more than food. It’s about reclaiming a sense of control, achievement, and identity in a world that may have stripped them of these things. Whether someone has experienced housing insecurity, low self-estee

Building Confidence Through Community: The Hidden Ingredient in Food Education. When people think of learning to cook, they often imagine recipe books, TV chefs, or YouTube tutorials. But the reality is far more complex—especially for those facing food insecurity or rebuilding their lives after hardship. At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we know from experience and research that community support is just as important as the recipes themselves. As outlined in the Vital Signs report

Food Literacy – A Fundamental Right, Not a Middle-Class Privilege. In today’s society, knowing how to nourish yourself should be considered a basic life skill, not a luxury reserved for those with time, money, or access. Yet, millions of people across the UK struggle with food literacy—lacking the knowledge, skills, and confidence to plan, select, and prepare nutritious meals (UK Food Standards Agency, 2023). At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we advocate for a radical shift in how

From Survival to Self-Reliance – How Cooking Education Changes Lives. At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we believe that learning to cook is about far more than putting a meal on the table - it's about building confidence, restoring dignity, and empowering individuals to live more independently. Cooking education equips people with essential life skills, including how to plan meals, shop on a budget, prepare nutritious food, and adapt recipes to their needs. These skills are especi

Food, confidence and a bit of organised chaos in the kitchen We realise that the best learning sessions are usually the ones shaped by the young people themselves. At YMCA Northamptonshire, where we’re now running weekly cookery workshops, that’s becoming clearer every time we step through the door. The energy shifts depending on who’s there, what they’re curious about, and sometimes what they’ve been craving all week. One Tuesday, we found ourselves knee-deep in flour, rolli

More Than Empty Cupboards – Understanding Food Insecurity vs. Food Poverty. When we talk about people struggling to access nutritious food, two terms often arise: food insecurity and food poverty. While they’re closely related, they are not the same—and at Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we believe it's crucial to understand the distinction so we can respond appropriately. Food poverty refers primarily to the economic inability to afford sufficient, nutritious food. It’s a financ

Empowering Lives Through Food: The Purpose Behind Auntie’s Cookery Academy. At Auntie’s Cookery Academy, we believe that food education is far more than just learning to cook, it’s about building independence, boosting confidence, and tackling deep-rooted challenges like food insecurity and nutritional illiteracy. Cooking education provides people with the essential skills to live independently, make informed nutritional decisions, and manage limited resources effectively. Ac