Free recipe book helps families to eat healthy

Sunderland families will be making tasty healthy meals, as the first copies of a free recipe book reach parents and children this week.

'Healthy and Affordable Recipes' is being distributed with school meals parcels and has been developed by the council’s Change 4 Life Team.

The book contains 20 recipes and ideas for simple meals and snacks, an eat well guide to help parents prepare healthy and well-balanced meals and even a shopping list with average prices to help with budgeting the weekly shop.

Joan Lumsdon, Headteacher at Castletown Community Primary School, said: "We have been so impressed with the food that's been provided to our free school meal children by the council's school meals team. The choice and quality have been fantastic, and completely different from the examples recently highlighted in the media.

"We have had really positive feedback from our parents who have welcomed the support in providing their children with healthy and nutritious lunches during a particularly challenging time. I also think the free recipe book is a brilliant idea, and again something that will be greatly appreciated by our parents."

Each parcel contains a loaf of bread, five pieces of fresh fruit, two baking potatoes, three fresh tomatoes, one whole cucumber, three yoghurt pots, three cheese portions, a litre of milk and a tin of tuna, sweetcorn, pork, baked beans and soup.

Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and Skills, Cllr Louise Farthing said: "These free recipe books will support families to make healthy and affordable snacks and meals throughout the day."

A weekly food parcel, full of healthy items.