Launch of New Recipe Book to Help Families Struggling with the Cost-of-Living Crisis
By Jill Dando News
Home-Start UK and Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, have launched a new recipe book designed to support families grappling with the rising cost of living.
The cookbook, made possible with funding from Cadent’s Centres for Warmth programme, is a collection of budget-friendly, slow cooker recipes all contributed by families supported by Home-Start.
Slow cookers are a cost-effective way to prepare meals, using significantly less energy than traditional cooking methods. The recipes have been shared by Home-Start families from across the UK, showcasing a variety of simple and delicious dishes that provide families with affordable, nourishing meal ideas that help reduce energy usage.
The book also features comments from Home-Start families, who helped illustrate the recipes within the book.
The book is full of great, family friendly recipes, including chicken noodles, stews, curries, as well as vegetarian options.
For those looking for something a bit sweeter, the cookbook also includes dessert recipes that can be prepared in a slow cooker.
To support the launch, Cadent has purchased thousands of copies of the cookbook to be donated to families using Home-Starts within its network. The cookbook can also be purchased on the Home-Start website for just £6 with all proceeds going back to the charity.
Peter Grigg, Chief Executive of Home-Start UK, said:
“Families are under immense pressure right now, and many are making heartbreaking sacrifices. This recipe book is about more than meals, it’s about giving families practical support and hope. Thanks to the support of Cadent, we’ve created a collection of recipes by Home-Start families, for families, that highlights the power of community during challenging times.”
The launch of the cookbook coincides with the publication of a survey commissioned by Home-Start UK and Cadent, which highlights the severe impact of the cost-of-living crisis on families across the UK. The survey of 2,000 parents revealed:
- 56% of parents have changed the way their family eats due to rising food costs and 46% find it difficult to meet their children’s nutritional needs.
- 26% of parents have had to choose between cooking a meal or heating their home.
- Young parents are most affected, with almost ¾ (73%) of parents (aged between 16-24) saying they have had to skip a meal to ensure their children can eat.
Many families are turning to energy-efficient cooking methods, with 63% using slow cookers or air fryers to save on energy costs.
In 2023/24, Home-Start supported almost 60,000 families and has seen the number of those it works with experiencing debt or finance increase by 20% in the past year, and 52% since 2020-21.
To help families with these challenges, Home-Start provides one-to-one volunteer support, energy and food vouchers, and operates initiatives like supper clubs, food banks, and baby banks.
Through its Centres for Warmth programme, Cadent has funded Home-Start to deliver Centres for Warmth groups, as well as distribute slow cookers to families to help them cook food more efficiently at home. It has also distributed carbon monoxide alarms to help families improve safety at home.
Phil Burrows, Head of Customer Vulnerability at Cadent, said: “The results from this national survey highlight the daily challenges families are facing up and down the country. Our Centres for Warmth, which are located across our network, support people who live in vulnerable situations, keeping them warm, safe and connected and our partnership with Home-Start is a powerful extension to this programme. The new recipe book offers support to families feeling the squeeze, by creating family friendly, easy to prepare meals for slow cookers and we are proud to support Home-Start in this fantastic initiative as we continue to support those facing fuel poverty.”
One supported parent, Humaira, shared her thoughts on the initiative:
“I’m really looking forward to receiving a cookbook. I’m not a confident cook, so having recipes designed for families like mine will be really helpful. Home-Start’s practical resources, and access to a foodbank and vouchers, has been a huge help in managing our budget. Having a network I can rely on is reassuring, especially as I navigate cooking for my 21-month-old son and balancing life in London on a single income.”
This cookbook offers families not only meals but also a sense of connection and support, showing that with the right resources, communities can come together to overcome even the toughest challenges.
