Involve others in planning and preparing meals

Benefits of involving others

Planning and preparing meals with others helps to nurture healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. These habits include the ability to prepare healthy food.

Involving others in planning and preparing meals lets you:

• share food and cooking traditions
• spend quality time with loved ones
• learn and share important food skills
• make preparing meals and snacks more fun and less work
• explore healthy new foods that you might not normally try
• feel more connected to those around you, including:
  • different generations of family
  • others with a common interest

Think of all the different people in your life you could connect with through food. It could be your:

• family
• friends
• coworkers
• neighbours
• roommates
• community members

How to involve others in planning and preparing meals

There are many ways to engage in fun, food-related activities with those around you. Try to involve others by trying some of these ideas:

• Have a friend over for a cooking date.
• Invite your relatives to share the history of a favourite family food or recipe and teach you how to prepare it.
• Organize a potluck with your neighbours, coworkers or friends. Try different potluck themes to showcase everyone’s skills and specialties.
• Host a cooking event for kids. Let them plan the menu, write the grocery list, shop for food and cook the meal – with your help of course.

Get involved in food-related activities

It doesn’t all have to be about cooking. There are other ways to participate in healthy food-related activities and share your knowledge. You can:

• Start a community garden in your neighbourhood where everyone can grow fresh vegetables.
• Plan to go grocery shopping with a friend or neighbour. It can help make this regular task more social.
• Participate in a recipe exchange with your friends. Share your easy weekday meal ideas or your special holiday favourites.
• Share your skills with your community. Many communities have food organizations looking for volunteers who love to prepare food and share their knowledge with others. You can help:
  • plan, plant or harvest a garden
  • prepare meals and snacks for participants
  • organize cooking workshops or demonstrations
  • promote the knowledge and use of traditional and cultural foods