Since July 2005 I have been running cooking classes for children in my own home. Over this period It has been very satisfying to see children gaining confidence in preparing food and exploring a variety of ingredients.

As a mother myself I know the challenges that parents sometimes face persuading their children to eat healthily. It was in fact my own experience with my son which inspired me to study nutrition and subsequently set up the cooking classes.

I had always piled my son's dinner plate with vegetables, which he ate happily until he was 9 years old when on finding a caterpillar hiding in his curly kale he asked me, defiantly "Why do I have to eat so many vegetables?" It was then that I realised that "because they are good for you" was no longer an adequate answer, Since becoming a nutritional therapist I can now reply that vegetables are packed full of antioxidants and bioflavonoids that protect our bodies from daily exposure to toxins and general wear and tear. That green leafy vegetables such as curly kale are high in magnesium and B vitamins vital for energy production and brain function. And caterpillars recognise this too!

As part of the classes the children like putting on their wellies and going into the kitchen garden to dig and pick the fruit and vegetables. Having seen the food growing they are keen to eat it.

I call these classes ‘fun with food’ reflecting my aim to improve children’s appetites and health through enjoyment of food.

For adults

Parents feeding on their children’s enthusiasm suggested that I also ran classes for them. Busy lifestyles often leave little time for cooking from scratch.

These classes focus on preparing dishes of their choice and taking them home. For some this is an opportunity to stock up their freezer with family meals, for others a chance to prepare in advance for a dinner party.

Cooking for weight loss is also a popular course and is an area in which I specialise.

I look forward to sharing with you my passion for good food.

Diana Green