Residents in South London have been acquiring skills in utilizing slow cookers to prepare nutritious meals affordably for their families.

In a bid to combat food insecurity in the region, Sutton Council has been hosting complimentary sessions at the “Slow Cooker Club.”

The council also intends to use this initiative to offer valuable guidance to low-income and at-risk individuals.

Claire Borg, the leader of Family Hubs and Children’s Centres and the brain behind the initiative, expressed her surprise at the course’s popularity, stating, “I had no idea it would attract such interest.”

She explained that the Slow Cooker Club was conceived as a means to better assist families in Sutton facing challenges related to the cost of living, social isolation, and healthy eating.

Borg noted that the response from parents has been remarkably positive.

Charlie, one of the participants, shared, “The course is very informative, and the instructors were incredibly supportive and encouraging. I now have the confidence to prepare some staple dishes for my daughter.”

Over four weeks, the local authority conducted the slow cooker sessions, where participants learned to create affordable, healthy meals. They were then supplied with the necessary ingredients to try their recipes at home.

Each participant also received a complimentary slow cooker.

Funding for this initiative was sourced through a community grant from supermarket giant Sainsbury’s.

Borg expressed her pride in the program’s ability to support local mothers who had been feeling isolated.

The team is now actively seeking additional funding to continue offering the course in the future.