Taff families enjoy cooking together at St Fagans National Museum of History, August 2019

Committed to the Well-being of Future Generations Act and our goal of a healthier Wales, Taff Housing Association families recently enjoyed a fun day out at St Fagan National Museum of History. The families enjoyed learning about healthy food choices that could benefit their future health.

There were many exciting things on offer for the families including a tour of the museum gardens –digging out shallots and cutting cabbages – watching a cooking demonstration from a Cardiff Metropolitan University lecturer in Hospitality Management and finishing with a presentation on nutrition. Every child had the opportunity to spend time washing, chopping and cooking produce. For many this was their first experience of creating healthy meals straight from the ground. As Alex, aged 12 said “We got to taste the herbs as we picked them. I really liked the mint- it tasted like chewing gum. In the supermarket herbs are mainly dried and in packets so you can’t smell or touch them.”

Several parents said that they struggle to cook healthy meals on a budget and find it hard to encourage children to eat vegetables. One parent commented, “Free travel was organised for us - getting our five children on several busses across town is easier said than done! The kids have told me they want to start growing vegetables in their Nan’s garden - I’ve never seen them eat veggies so fast!”

A big thank you to St Fagans National Museum of History and Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Widening Access team for organising this fantastic opportunity. We are already planning our return visit to the museum, allowing more children the opportunity to learn about healthier living and Welsh culture.