'I just think it’s really important that we empower people with a bit of education'
Hundreds of people have now signed a Devon chef's petition calling on supermarkets to better help those who are struggling.
Last updated 18th Feb 2021
Ash Hamilton - from Brixham - wants them all to offer low-cost food boxes with recipe cards, showing how to make a selection of meals.
He's already made recipe cards for the items given out in food parcels to struggling families in Torbay.
Ash is currently making videos showing how to stretch budgets while making tasty food (see video below).
The petition can be seen here.
The owner of the Curious Kitchen said: " “A lot of my background as far as work goes is in education.
“For me doing something like this with RE4orm where we can teach people sustainable skills, stuff that’s achievable and give them some skills and that to go forward is exactly what I’m about – and I’m really happy to be on board with it.
“I was driving home one day, went past our local shop and it just hit me to go – ‘do you know what, I’m going to take the budget that they’ve got. I’m going to buy stuff, put my shopping list online and show how much you can get for that money.
“Bear in mind it was just me doing it on a whim as I drove past the shop. I managed to get about 28 meals worth, which is nearly a month’s worth of food – plus about 45 snacks which is nearly two months’ worth of snacks for that £25 budget.
“It all started after this free school meal fiasco, however this doesn’t just apply to people that are eligible for vouchers or Government aid.
“I want to help people in general. I want to show people how far you can stretch a pound. How much you can get for that – simple tips and tricks.
“Ways to get the most for your money.
“Everybody at the moment needs to save money and needs to look after themselves and maybe doesn’t quite know how.
“I’m really happy to be that help and boost and that they might need.
“At the end of the day I could go full cheffy and we could maybe save some more money by making our own breads and doing stuff like that – but that’s not achievable, obtainable and maybe people don’t have the time to do that.
“What we want to do is create recipes, put them together that tick everything that are healthy and that are easy to do and they don’t scare people off.
“Morrisons at the moment are doing a food box for £30 which is really, really good value. I would really like to see all major supermarkets take part in that with recipe cards that can go out to help people who are struggling – maybe don’t have the time or don’t have the knowledge.
“I just think it’s really important that we empower people with a bit of education.
“If not, we take some Government resources and give them to non-profits like RE4orm and they can continue doing what they’re doing.”
After Ash praised Morrisons we contacted the supermarket who said they are taking the issue of food boxes seriously
They say they have increased food deliveries to entitled children, they have launched a recipe box and a next wave of home delivery boxes.