Join a free, livestreamed, family cookalong to learn about healthy eating this half term
The ‘Hertfordshire Full of Beans Cookalong’ – a collaborative event between the University of Hertfordshire, Stevenage Football Club Foundation and The Let’s Cook Project – will be giving away free recipe boxes to the first 25 families to sign up
As part of this year’s Festival of Social Science, the University of Hertfordshire, in collaboration with the Stevenage Football Club (FC) Foundation and The Let’s Cook Project, is hosting the Hertfordshire Full of Beans Cookalong – a free, interactive, livestreamed cookalong for families to do together at home this half term.
Taking place at lunchtime on Thursday, 31st October, from 12.30-13.30pm, this fun, hands-on event will demonstrate some easy, quick and tasty bean recipes for all the family to enjoy making and, more importantly, eating together. As well as whipping up some homemade baked beans and “mean bean balls”, cooks joining the event will learn about the many benefits of incorporating more beans into your diet.
For those who sign up by Friday, 18th October 2024, there’s also a chance to receive a free recipe box. While everyone who registers will receive the recipes, ingredient list, streaming link and instructions via email, the first 25 households to sign up for the cookalong will additionally have all the main ingredients* and recipe cards delivered to their door ahead of the event.
The Hertfordshire Full of Beans Cookalong is being led by James Shepherd, a PhD food insecurity researcher at the University of Hertfordshire and also the director of The Let’s Cook Project, a social enterprise made up of a team of qualified chefs, nutritionists and home economists on a mission to equip the nation with the skills, knowledge and confidence to cook good, nutritious food from scratch. The event is further being supported by the Stevenage Football Club Foundation Community Kitchen programme, run by the Stevenage FC Foundation, which provides additional support to members of the community around managing food budgets, food hygiene and leading healthy active lifestyles.
James Shepherd, University of Hertfordshire PhD researcher and Director of The Let’s Cook Project, said:
“This will be a really fun, interactive and educational activity for children of all ages and their grown-ups to do together during their half term break, that results in a tasty bean meal that they will want to make again and again.
“Beans are a delicious yet simple and affordable ingredient that provide a fantastic source of protein, are far lower in fat than most meat alternatives – so better for your body – and far better for the environment. There are also so many benefits to families cooking and eating together, as well as kids getting involved in cooking their food at home from a young age. Not only does it help them develop the skills to make healthy meals, but it also means they know what goes into the food they eat, encouraging healthy eating habits that will hopefully last a lifetime. I hope as many families as possible are able to join us for this special, one-off event, and look forward to seeing all their culinary efforts at the end!”
Hannah Marsh, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Stevenage FC Foundation, said:
“We want to help you put the fun back into mealtimes with this quick, easy and nutritious recipe, cooking together as a family. Cooking and eating together has so many benefits and we hope you enjoy doing so in this special event!”
The Hertfordshire Full of Beans Cookalong is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024, running between Saturday 19 October to Friday 9 November, and made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). A national festival celebrating social science research and knowledge – from how society has shaped our local areas to behaviours that help fight climate change – this year’s theme is ‘Our Digital Lives’, with many activities being run by 41 universities across the country, aimed at exploring the relationship between humans and digital technology.
Other events being run by the University of Hertfordshire will include talks, exhibitions, technology try-outs and Switch Off, Play On! a pop-up play café in the Galleria encouraging families and friends to switch off their phones and rediscover the joy of connecting over a traditional board game or simple play experiences.
Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair, said:
“The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a unique insight into UK social science research and its relevance to individuals, society and the economy. There are hundreds of free events taking place across the UK and online, including at the University of Hertfordshire. We hope you enjoy the events and finding out more about social scientists’ work.”
The Hertfordshire Full of Beans Cookalong takes place on Thursday, 31st October at 12.30-1.30pm. To find more details about it, or other University of Hertfordshire Festival of Social Science events, please visit the Festival of Social Science website.
*Please note: the recipe boxes will contain everything needed to join in, except for one egg and 45ml of cooking oil.