How we teach food and cooking at secondary school and why it matters, with Chris Lord

How we teach food and cooking at secondary school and why it matters, with Chris Lord

This interview with Chris Lord took place a couple of years ago, when we were discussing the changes in the UK secondary school food curriculum. Chris has taught food for over twenty years in both the UK and Hong Kong and has some thoughtful insights in to the changes of emphasis in the way food is taught. Our conversation explored the need to move away from teaching as food technology to a more integrated approach that emphasizes nutrition and cooking skills. In addition I go through the interesting results of a survey by the Food Teachers Centre about teachers' attitudes to how food should be taught in school. And there are some useful resources linked for educators and families alike with helpful nutrition and recipe sites. Links mentioned in the episode: The survey by The Food Teachers' Centre: https://foodteacherscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Food-Education-fit-for-the-future.pdf [https://foodteacherscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Food-Education-fit-for-the-future.pdf] Food Teachers Centre Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/foodteacherscentre [https://www.facebook.com/groups/foodteacherscentre] Food A Fact Of Life: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/ [https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/] Let's Get Cooking: https://www.bda.uk.com/food-health/lets-get-cooking.html [https://www.bda.uk.com/food-health/lets-get-cooking.html] Licence to Cook: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/11-14-years/cooking-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-recipes/ [https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/11-14-years/cooking-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-recipes/] Chris's website about food and travels: https://www.lordysguide.com [https://www.lordysguide.com] Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

Five July seasonal meal ideas, easy and family friendly, with suggested swaps for fussy family members. Food For Kids Podcast (2026)

IIn this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly July seasonal meal ideas using seasonal produce available in July. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too. Links to the recipes: Veggie slice: https://recipepocket.com/zucchini-and-carrot-slice [https://recipepocket.com/zucchini-and-carrot-slice] Squished tomato pasta: https://www.thefoodies.org/squished-tomato-pasta/ [https://www.thefoodies.org/squished-tomato-pasta/] Fajitas or tostadas: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/summer-veg-tostadas [https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/summer-veg-tostadas] Summer fruit traybake or cake: https://www.sewwhite.com/summer-fruit-cake-tray-bake [https://www.sewwhite.com/summer-fruit-cake-tray-bake] Creamy beetroot dip: https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/party-food-ideas-recipes/3-ingredient-easy-beetroot-dip-recipe [https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/party-food-ideas-recipes/3-ingredient-easy-beetroot-dip-recipe] For more seasonal food ideas go to: https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/ [https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/] Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

Does my child have sensory issues with food? With Kirsty Porter. What sensory food issues look like and how to help a sensory eater. (Food For Kids 2026)

On today’s episode I am talking to Dr Kirsty Porter from Nutrition For Kids in Northern Ireland. Kirsty is a registered children’s dietitian with over 15 years of experience helping parents overcome mealtime and feeding challenges. She specialises in supporting fussy and sensory eaters, and offers evidence-based but practical advice that fits real family life. When we’re talking about why children can be hesitant around new foods or have a limited repertoire of foods, there are obviously a whole bunch of reasons that come up, and over time we are looking at lots of them here on the show in more depth and seeing how we can help our children, but one of the ones that comes up regularly is around sensory issues with food. Kirsty does a lot of work in her practice with sensory issues, and has a specialist programme about it in partnership with an Occupational Therapist, so I thought she’d be a great person to ask about sensory eating. Kirsty's website: www.nutrition4kidsni.com [http://www.nutrition4kidsni.com] Kirsty's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni [https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni] Kirst [https://thefoodiesbooks.com/resources/intro-food-familiarity/]y's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4kidsni [https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4kidsni] Instagram page for sensory issues advice: https://www.instagram.com/sensoryeaters [https://www.instagram.com/sensoryeaters] The Sensory Eaters course mentioned in the episode: https://sensoryeaters.thinkific.com/courses/sensoryeatersprogramme [https://sensoryeaters.thinkific.com/courses/sensoryeatersprogramme] Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

July seasonal foods - fruit and veg in season in the UK. Food For Kids Podcast (2026)

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in July, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of tropical imports that are currently in season. This will be useful if you want to increase your intake of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and want some ideas for helping to build your child's familiarity with them, whether they eat the end result or not! For a full list seasonal July foods, go to https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/ [https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/] Printables for summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/ [https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/]lyMusic "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

My child invited a coeliac friend home for tea, with Nicky Chilvers, how to provide a safe gluten free inclusive playdate. (Food For Kids 2026)

Today is part of our series called “Help my child is bringing someone home for tea”. These episodes are intended to give families who don’t have a special diet themselves the basic information they need to be able to be inclusive for other people’s children who do have a special diet. This episode is about hosting children who need a gluten free diet either because they have coeliac disease or just because they react badly to gluten. I think this is one of the ones that frightens people a lot because, like dairy, gluten is in a LOT of foods that you wouldn’t immediately think of. So for this one I asked Nicky Chilvers from Gluten Free Little Cook to run through some of the basics of coeliac symptoms and some practical ways to make sure that everyone has a child friendly tea without the worries of anyone getting sick, including less obvious things about cleaning utensils and oven tray position. It's a quick and reassuring guide to having a coeliac child to tea and of course bring their parent in on the planning. Nicky is mum to two teens; one of whom has coeliac disease. It was a shock diagnosis in 2018. There seemed little support for parents; mums especially, to understand the disease & help their child adapt. The only way to help her child was to learn about a gluten free diet & fast. Nicky then wrote a book helping parents from her own experience so they didn’t have the same struggles. A kids book was written to celebrate 5yrs of diagnosis & one for teens in 2024. When not on Instagram, she can be found in the kitchen cooking, working on her latest DIY project or out eating! DISCLAIMER: I spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product. Nicky's website: https://www.instagram.com/gluten_free_little_cook/ Nicky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glutenfreelittlecook Music "Happy Days" by the fabulous Simon Falwar via Uppbeathchi Mentioned in this episode: Disclaimer I spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product.