Improving Young People’s Mental Wellbeing Through Nutrition: Inside Our Food & Mood Cookery Course
YPMH, Nourish Food School, Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food and The University of Reading have recently trialled a new cooking class, aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, confidence and knowledge to support both their physical and mental wellbeing through nutrition.
Evidence indicates that food and mood are closely interconnected, and that dietary choices can substantially influence mental health. Studies suggest that following a Mediterranean-style diet can reduce symptoms of depression and improve other mental health conditions1. This course helped participants explore these links in a practical setting, with one participant noting their surprise at learning how “consuming 30 different plants a week can benefit both our body and brain.”
What the course involved
Over the eight weeks, participants:
- Took part in weekly, hands-on cookery classes
- Learned two quick, low-cost recipes each week
- Cooked at individual stations with step-by-step guidance
- Built an understanding of nutrition for mental wellbeing
- Set weekly cooking and healthy diet goals
- Took home generous portions of each meal and recipe cards
- Accessed extra recipes, tips and local food offers (Nourish Food School resources)
As one young person shared, their favourite part was “hands-on cooking and simple recipes”. Another highlighted the value of “learning new skills” that they immediately put into practice.
What participants told us
As the first group in the UK to complete this course, participants played an important role in shaping how future programmes will run. Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive:
100%
said they enjoyed the course and learned new skills
100%
said they now understand more about the links between food and mental health
All
said they would recommend a course to a friend
Many also noticed meaningful changes in their wellbeing. One participant told us, “This diet was extremely good, and I saw a lot of changes in my mental state.” Another said, “I learned lots of helpful tips about food and preparation that I can actually use.”
Looking ahead
This acceptability trial showed that combining accessible cookery skills with evidence-based nutrition education can have a meaningful impact on young people’s confidence, wellbeing and daily habits. We’re grateful to everyone who took part and helped shape the first run of this course. The project team are now exploring opportunities to expand this and bring more practical food-and-mood workshops to more young people.
If you are interested in taking part in future classes, please contact Nourish Food School.
Further reading
1. Jacka et al. BMC Medicine (2017) 15:23 DOI 10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y