September 26, 2008

The Importance of Low Protein Cookery Sessions For Parents and Patients

By Caroline

Fun was had by all who attended the SHS Low Protein Living Cookery Sessions and Activity Days throughout July, August and September 2008. In the Republic of Ireland, SHS held a Low Living Cookery Session in Dublin and Waterford, and a Low Protein Living Activity Day in Imaginosity in Dublin. In Northern Ireland, SHS held three Home Delivery Birthday Party Cookery Sessions in Belfast, Omagh and Derry, and one Home Delivery Birthday Party Activity Day in Derry. At the Low Protein Living Cookery Sessions, the SHS chefs ran through some practical quick recipe ideas such as Low Protein Bread, Low Protein Cakes, Lasagne, Quick and Easy Pizzas, Bruchetta, Garlic bread and Pasta Salads.

Then for the hands on part of the evening, everyone in the audience got a chance to make up their own dishes to take home with them. At the end of the evening everyone got to taste a selection of all the dishes that were demonstrated. The Low Protein Activity Days were a big hit! All of the younger attendees got to play in the activity centres and then afterwards SHS provided a party for all the children. This went down really well as all of the party food was suitable for those following a low protein diet. SHS also made up low protein cakes and biscuits that the children got to decorate and take home with them.

We must not under estimate the importance of these Low Protein Cookery days. Many people have lost the art of cooking. We now live in a world that has no little or no time to enjoy the finer points of life. Convenience foods have become the norm. Being PKU means we now need to revisit skills that were an every day affair for our grandparents. Baking is the classic example: there is more than likely to be a higher than average proportion of people baking from the PKU community than any other.

It does bring other benefits too, the sweet smell of dough flowing through the house is a joy and the involvement of the children in then cooking. These Low Protein cooking sessions are empowering children and making them more independent.

Low Protein Cooking