Care UK residents enjoy cooking classes with younger generations

From Edinburgh to Bournemouth, residents at Care UK care homes across the UK have been whipping up a treat as they share their favourite recipes with younger generations. 

This March, we found almost two-thirds (65%) of the nation no longer use family recipes handed down through the generations, however, almost half (43%) of people surveyed are concerned about saving them.  

So, to stop those all-important family recipes adored by generations from becoming forgotten, we tasked residents across the UK to tell us their favourite recipes for our first-ever recipe book – Recipes to remember.  

Keen to keep their recipes bubbling away in Maidstone for many years to come, residents from Invicta Court rolled up their sleeves and donned their aprons, to team up with pupils from Bearsted Primary Academy to show just how tasty their food favourites from the past are.   

On the day, the residents and children were spilt into two teams, where they made two dishes together – pizza and shortbread. With their cooking complete, the residents enjoyed the dishes, and reminisced on their own childhoods, helping their parents in the kitchen, and later teaching their own children to cook.

In the Midlands, in Sutton Coldfield, resident, Pam Long, welcomed local pupils from Little Sutton Primary School to decorate waffles – using her very own waffle recipe that she first used in the 1950s. In Thame, residents from Cuttlebrook Hall enjoyed whipping up delicious vanilla cupcakes with children from Roots for Life Nursery. 

Heading South, residents at Salisbury Manor in Salisbury, enjoyed a special baking session with their grandchildren. Together they competed in a competition to bake the best bread and butter pudding. 

Commenting on the afternoon, resident Barbra, said: “I was so happy to teach the children how to make the bread-and-butter pudding with custard. I was very impressed with my little helpers, and they were very well-behaved students.” 

Staying in the South, residents at Ancasta Grove in Southampton, welcomed pupils from Sarisbury Infant School for a MasterChef style bake-off. Together, the two generations baked cakes that were enjoyed during the residents’ own childhoods, and residents taught children how to make traditional English scones. 

Resident, David said: “It was such a joy baking the recipes from our childhood and sharing them with the younger generation. These recipes must be passed on for them to enjoy. It was such a wonderful experience baking and eating together – what a treat!”

Joining the competitive spirit, residents at Millers Grange in Witney, hosted a bake-off competition where team members and children from St Hugh of Lincoln Nursery School whipped up a ‘Brum special’ – a favourite recipe of one of the residents, consisting of Melted chocolate, rice krispies, butter, dates, raisins and demerara sugar – similar to crispy cakes, but with a twist.

Eileen Oddy, who lives at Millers Grange, said: “This became a family recipe after a friend from Birmingham introduced it to my daughter while at school. It is an easy recipe to follow and was a treat I could make with my daughter for the whole family. My daughter suggested we nominate this recipe as she has fond memories of making it at home with me.”

Alison Parry, Home Manager at Millers Grange, said: “We’ve certainly been whipping up some fantastic treats here at Millers Grange as we headed to the kitchen to revisit residents’ food favourites from decades gone by.

“It was fantastic to welcome children from St Hugh of Lincoln Nursery School for an afternoon spent cooking! Everyone had a great time talking about their favourite foods – and seeing the children try the ‘Brum Special’ was certainly the cherry on the cake!” 

Finally, in Edinburgh, residents at Murrayside welcomed children from Bright Sparks Nursery, where they prepared and decorated tasty shortbread biscuits, while discussing their favourite foods with each other. 

Feeling inspired? You can download a free copy of the recipe book here.