The Healthy Lifestyles Programme (HLP) is a whole school cooking and nutrition programme for KS1 and 2 that aims to make a positive contribution to tackling childhood obesity. It provides the information and resources to be able to run practical cooking and nutrition sessions in your classroom confidently that engage all pupils.

It draws on D&T pedagogy, theoretical frameworks, a range of knowledgeable experts including a chef, teachers and a gardener, as well as data from a six-pilot project to underpin the programme. This product is easy to adapt whilst being user friendly.

"We know what works in school food education, but we just don't have the research to back it up so projects like the HLP are really important. It helps us focus our resources in the right places, so thank you". Vicky Hacking, Principal Advisor for Association for Public Service Excellence

Target age range: Years 1 – 6.

Learning outcomes:

·       To provide children with the sufficient practical skills to choose, prepare and cook healthy ingredients to make healthy dishes to feed themselves and their families by the age of 11.

·       To develop children’s knowledge and understanding to enable them to choose a healthier lifestyle and to act as a conduit to share this knowledge at home.

·       To develop the parents’ own knowledge, skills and understanding sufficiently to begin to change their attitudes and perceptions towards choosing to lead a healthier lifestyle.

·       To develop the teachers’ understanding sufficiently to deliver high quality D&T cooking and nutrition by embedding the HLP across the school.

Resources: You will receive:
Programme Overview: The 40-page, full colour guide explains the theories underpinning the HLP, the research findings, as well as suggested cooking resources, a gardening programme and a long-term and medium-term plans.

Teacher Toolbox (Schemes of Work): These SoW schemes of work include support for the teacher, planning overviews, activity sheets for the children, and a follow-up at home activity sheet/recipe.

Termly Top Tip leaflets: There are 3 ‘Top Tip’ leaflets per year group, which include accurate family-friendly information, an activity or challenge for the family to do at home, as well as recipe ideas. These leaflets help connect the children and their families to the teaching and learning in class.  

HLP provides the information and resources to be able to run practical cooking and nutrition sessions in your classroom confidently that engage all pupils. 

Testimonials:
 “It showed me that it is easy to eat healthy and I’ll use this information later in life” and “HLP has helped me try different foods.” Lucy and Tom in year 6

“Schools and home working together as a team is the best way. It’s a fantastic initiative for children to learn about healthy eating.” A parent

“I think the willingness and confidence to cook healthier options and the enthusiasm to go home and bring that to their families…it’s because the whole community is involved…. school, pupils and parents.” A class teacher

“It is truly inspiring to see how far the children have come; their confidence with cooking skills, their knowledge of healthy living and their willingness to try new foods and dishes.” D&T Lead

“The Adopt a School Trust has been delighted to be part of the Healthy Lifestyles Project…we have been able to demonstrate the benefits that a well-planned, consistent and holistic approach to food education can have on children’s willingness to try new food, the confidence in their cooking skills and general enjoyment of cooking, as well as the likelihood of them making good food choices. We hope this project will have a long-lasting positive impact on the children and families involved and that the evidence gained can be used to roll this much-needed approach to food education out on a larger scale, so more children can benefit.” Helena Houghton, Executive Director, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt a School Trust

This is for single school use only. If you want to buy this for a Multi-Academy trust please e-mail healthylifestyles@ntu.ac.uk for Multi-Academy trust prices.

If you have any queries or would like to arrange personalised support for your school, then please contact the creator at healthylifestyles@ntu.ac.uk