Brite Box strategically addressing the rise of malnutrition in the UK
In the UK, malnutrition and childhood obesity are currently key concerns. Locally in Kingston (Kingston Health & Care Plan 2022), there has been a 70% increase in childhood obesity rates in the most deprived areas of the Borough over the last few years with 29.1% of all 10-11 year olds being overweight. Half of all adults aged 18+ are overweight or obese. The Food Standards Agency (07/2020) reported “Income loss has rapidly exacerbated existing insecurity and vulnerabilities.
Covid-19 rapidly worsened insecurity for those who were already missing meals and/or compromising nutritional quality previously, and rapidly tipped those ‘just managing’ into food insecurity.” A mere 8% of children (11 to 18 years), 27% of adults (19 to 64 years) and 35% of those aged 65 years and over actually achieve the 5-A-Day recommendation (BDA, 2019) and it is likely that 5 a day should be far higher (10 portions per day Aune et al 2017, 30 portions per week McDonald et al 2018).
It cannot be overestimated how important it is for a families’ wellbeing to sit together and enjoy a meal. It may be the only time when face to face communication occurs, relaying activities of the day, sharing good news and difficulties, receiving praise for a well-cooked meal. These days, fewer families eat together. Research by R.I.M. Dunbar, Breaking Bread: The Functions of Social Eating, (2017) found that in his analysis of 2000 adults, “15% said they hadn’t had a meal with another family member in the last six months.” The same paper concluded “that those who eat socially more often feel happier and are more satisfied with life, are more trusting of others, are more engaged with their local communities, and have more friends they can depend on”.
This is why we are so passionate about BRITE Box as it helps build resilience by providing children and adults with a bank of healthy, low cost recipe ideas, key cooking skills and the desire and self-confidence to use them. Educating people about the ways to eat healthily whilst keeping within a small budget are vital. We ensure that all recipes cost under £5 to replicate. Given the cost of living crisis, this has meant that we have spent considerable time over the last year adjusting recipes to still meet our £5 guarantee along with working on energy efficient cooking.
Our key objectives are:
- 1. To reach the increasing number of families at risk of food hunger and help resource them to eat more healthily together on a budget and establish positive healthy cooking habits. Through BRITE Box (BB), a larger number of families on low income will have access to healthy and nutritious food, thus reducing food insecurity locally. Each week, BB provides a healthy meal for the whole family and builds resilience through teaching cooking skills to enable children and parents to cook healthily on a budget and eat a balanced meal together. Having families in the programme for a year helps develop long-term healthy cooking and eating habits, impacting the whole family unit.
- 2. Bring families together around food in the home knowing that eating a healthy meal on a regular basis will enhance physical and mental well being and concentration. Schools identify which families should be selected to receive a BRITE Box and distribute the boxes for children to take home to their families on a Friday. Although most children recommended are from low-income families, many of whom are entitled to free school meals, schools have a wide latitude in relation to their reasons for recommending a pupil for BRITE Box, including poor nutritional intake and limited food acceptance (e.g sensory difficulties).
- 3. Education: Introduce a joy, confidence and interest in cooking and awareness and education of the benefits of healthier eating. Our long term goal is through fun cooking education and activity, to support and build resilience in families at risk of food hunger due to social/economical disadvantage and also families who have children with special educational needs. Children and adults will be provided with key cooking skills and the self confidence to use them. Involving children in the fun of cooking helps encourage them to try new healthy foods.
