Organising Cookery Activities in YFC

Jul 19, 2023  •  General

Adding cookery activities to a YFC club programme is a great way for young people to develop life skills – from learning to follow instructions to understanding why nutrition and a balanced diet are important.

Another benefit for hosting cookery activities is that they provide members with a practical introduction to cookery to enable them to participate in the NFYFC competition. Follow our guide to involving cookery in a future club meeting.  

Cookery practise can be as simple (and tasty) as an Italian night, where everyone makes pizzas. Or why not try a Ready, Steady, Cook idea and assign everyone limited ingredients they have to use to cook up a dish?

1. Check your facilities

Check out the cooking facilities in your village hall or meeting venue and decide whether it’s possible to run a cookery evening. If it’s not, try contacting a local school or kitchen to explore the opportunity of hiring it and getting a chef/trainer involved.

2. Think about group sizes

The size, age and ability of the group as well as the facilities will help you to decide on the evening you would like to organise. You could run an Italian evening (pizza or pasta), Ready Steady Cook or a more structured cookery lesson that follows elements of the NFYFC cookery competition.

3. Consider your dishes

Discuss with fellow officers the dish or dishes that you would like members to cook, considering the NFYFC competition rules and the age/ ability of members. Carry out a risk assessment with the health & safety officer. Allow enough time to prepare, cook and clean up afterwards.

4. Budgets

Discuss the costs involved in making the chosen dish or dishes with the treasurer to ensure the ingredients are within budget. Prior to the meeting, remind members of the equipment they will need to bring with them, such as a mixing bowl, weighing scales, wooden spoon, apron, etc.

5. Preparation

Be prepared, have enough copies of the recipe for everyone, do a practice run and check that you know how to use the appliances. Be mindful of safety when cooking in groups as there will be hot pots, pans and liquids around. Have plenty of helpers, especially if there are a large number of younger members involved.