Cooking skills are critical for achieving health and sustainable dietary goals and yet they are in general decline in the UK. Community based cooking skills projects that aim to fill this skills gap are also in decline due to cut backs in public funding. Since cooking skills projects are diverse in scope (i.e. target group, model of intervention and intended outcome) and there is a lack of centralised support for them at the national level (in England); standards and requirements demanded by those commissioning them at the local level can vary and be unrealistic.

1. FRC Cooking Skills workshop
Food Research Collaboration (FRC)
City, University of London
@foodresearch
Guest wifi: *****

2. Before we start…

3. Purpose
For those attending to contribute to the production of evidence based
practical guidance on the identification and measurement of
community based cooking skills project outcomes, to be used by both
commissioners and practitioners.

5. Why cooking skills outcomes?
Cooking skills projects at risk (need to “make the case for”)
• Reduced resources & increased competition with other health and non-health objectives
• Less nutritionists/evidence based decision making (to “make the case”, ensure quality
programming & achievable outcomes)
• Lack of centralised national support in England
Challenges of identifying and measuring outcomes (“what works”)
• Diverse projects - how delivered, target groups, outcomes – validated tools adapted
• Health & dietary behaviour change, social, mental health, environmental
• Unachievable health objectives, e.g. reducing obesity
• Unrealistic and under resourced expectations for measurement
• Different perspectives and priorities practitioners and commissioners/funders

6. What’s happened to-date?
• Initiated by Public Food and Health Network (PFHN)
• Supported by Food Research Collaboration (FRC) in partnership with Sustainable
Food Cities (SFC), funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
• Project team (11)
• Agreed focus “identification & measurement (self-monitor) outcomes”- guidance
• Agreed scope – community based, not schools based; focus health & behavioural
outcomes?
• Build on and fill gaps - existing tools & learning
• UK wide –fill the gap in England
• Evidence review – Martin Caraher & Ada Garcia
• Cooking skills email group (43)

7. Objectives of workshop
1. To gain a common understanding of the background and purpose
of the FRC/SFC cooking skills project
2. To share the evidence on measuring and achieving outcomes for
community cooking skills projects
3. To identify gaps and challenges of using existing tools and
guidance on outcomes
4. To discuss and agree on the scope, content and format of the
evidence review/guidance

8. Outputs
To gain answers to the following questions from the perspective of
both commissioners/funders and practitioners:
1. What are the current challenges to identifying and measuring
outcomes when designing and commissioning cooking skills
projects?
2. What are the current gaps in tools and guidance for identifying and
measuring outcomes?
3. What should be the scope, structure and format of the practical
evidence based guidance?

10. I - Current situation
FRC evidence review
Martin Caraher and Ada Garcia

11. II - Existing processes and tools

12. Group work – current challenges and gaps (30 mins)
Discuss and identify:
1. Key challenges to identifying & measuring outcomes in project design.,
commissioning & delivery
2. Gaps in existing tools/ guidance to help identify & and measure
outcomes?
Appoint a scribe and rapporteur to write up on flip chart (3-5 mins max) after
lunch
Highlight any differences between commissioners and practitioners
Put top 3 challenges and top 3 gaps on post-its and stick on wall before lunch

13. III - What is needed?

14. Suggested objectives of the guidance
1. A summary of evidence from “experts” to:
• “Make the case” for cooking skills projects
• “What works “in terms of achieving outcomes
2. Check list for designing projects with realistic and appropriate outcomes
3 . Guidance on how to self-monitor/evaluate achievement of outcomes
using good enough (not validated), flexible monitoring/self-evaluation check
list – including signposting to existing tools
Format – NICE/JRF style (show Examples)– short brief referenced evidence
based statements, if evidence does not exist, use “experts” opinion

15. Group work (20 mins) – update at lunch time
Discuss and make recommendations on:
1. Structure (headings) & format of guidance
2. Health & behavioural skills focus – plus social, mental health,
environmental ?
3. Separate guidance needed for commissioners and practitioners ?
4. What else can be done to make the case for cooking skills?
Write up on flip chart and feedback (3-5 mins max)
Highlight any differences between commissioners and practitioners

16. Next steps and action points?