Research and Evidence

Auntie’s Cookery Academy was built on research, not assumptions.

Before ACA became a charity, our founder Emily-Jane Dale set out to understand whether teaching practical cookery skills could make a measurable difference to people’s ability to feed themselves, make informed food choices and live more independently.

That question became her university dissertation:

“Exploring Staff Perspectives: Evaluating the Impact of Cookery Skills Programmes on Participants’ Development and Wellbeing.”

The research followed a six-week cookery programme delivered with YMCA participants and explored changes in key areas of food literacy, including planning and managing food, food selection and food preparation.

But the research also highlighted something much bigger.

Knowing what constitutes a healthy meal isn't the same as knowing how to make one.

Having access to ingredients doesn't automatically mean having the skills, equipment or confidence to turn them into food.

And expecting someone to live independently doesn't mean they have ever been taught how.