Why food skills matter more than ever
Food insecurity isn’t just about having enough food, what really matters is the quality of what families can actually buy and eat.
The Food Foundation report presents a stark picture: in 2025, 11% of UK households, and 15% of families with children (almost 1 in 7), experienced food insecurity in 2025. Of the food-insecure households, money worries hit these families hard, with 64% cutting back on fruit and 50% on vegetables because they just couldn’t afford them.
When healthy foods are out of reach, families end up relying more on cheaper, convenient options, foods that are often of low nutritional quality. Meanwhile, negative health impacts of Ultra-processed foods are receiving consistent attention. A 2024 review published in the BMJ found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was linked to poorer health, particularly heart issues, weight gain, and well-being. It’s not fair to say that families are making bad choices as they do not occur in isolation. In fact, it reflects the reality of a food environment shaped by high food costs, convenience, time constraints, and marketing.
For children, the impact is even more serious and potentially long-lasting. The latest National Child Measurement Programme for England 2024/2025 report found that 10.5% of children in reception years and 22.2% of children in year 6 were living with obesity. Children living in the most deprived areas were twice as likely to be living with obesity compared to those living in least-deprived areas. These numbers have a story.
Families aren’t just missing information or resources to eat healthy; they’re navigating through a maze of structural and social barriers that make healthy eating harder to achieve and maintain.
A further issue that barely gets talked about is “food skills”, the ability to plan meals, prepare ingredients and cook nourishing meals from scratch. Without these skills, healthy eating stays out of reach for vulnerable individuals and families. It’s not just about knowing what’s good for you – it’s about having the time, skills, knowledge, and practical ability to turn ingredients into meals that are affordable, tasty, and quick enough for everyday family life.
Food insecurity is complex, but there’s hope. Building food literacy and cooking confidence can make a real difference. When people are confident and skilled to cook from scratch, adapt recipes, use local ingredients, and make meals go further, they are better placed to eat healthier and develop food habits that last.
That’s where food education steps in.
At Food etc., we see it all the time – hands-on learning can help turn knowledge into action. Through community cooking workshops and family-focused sessions, parents and children get to cook together. But the real magic happens beyond recipes. These sessions help them:
- feel more ready and confident to cook nourishing meals at home, even when time and money are tight
- discover the “fun” side of cooking with family, which brings everyone closer and boosts well-being
- build lasting, healthy relationships with food, lowering their chances of health issues linked to poor diets
Food education isn’t a “nice extra”. It sits right in the middle of science, health, education, and community well-being. It helps families eat better, become more independent, and sustain themselves when things get tough. If we want healthier futures for children and families, food skills should be at the centre of our solutions. Food education gives families a practical “toolkit” to make better choices – today and in the years ahead.
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Author: Divya Patel, PhD
Date: March 31 2026
