Who we work with & specialist programmes

Specialist work for specific cohorts

Over the years, we’ve supported thousands of people, many of whom come to us with special requirements, so we have developed specialist programmes and resources to meet their specific needs, ensuring that they’re accessible and inclusive.

This deep knowledge of different challenges our participants face informs our general programmes to enable us to support each person’s unique challenges.

We work with different organisations and commissioners to adapt our course content and methods to meet a range of requirements. These are some of the cohorts we’ve worked with, and continue to work with on a daily basis in our general programmes – please select a section to find out more

Mental Health

With 72% of our participants reporting poor mental health, common mental health disorders are part of our day to day work. However, we also regularly receive referrals from specialist NHS psychology units.

The case for diet is compelling, and it’s not just about mindful activity. Increasing amounts of research are linking nutrition to mental health. Diets high in Ultra Processed Foods increase risk of depression by 50%; improving your diet is as effective as our best drugs for depression with no negative side effects. Yet achieving a good diet on a tight budget is hard to achieve, harder still if you’re lacking in confidence and motivation. This is where we can help.

By providing personalised, empathetic support via trauma-informed mentors, we are able to provide the support and accountability required to help participants to complete the course, giving them the first step to a better life.

Listen to this 1 minute interview with a participant with PTSD

I really liked that it was on WhatsApp and I could see what everyone else made. Due to my mental health issues, I couldn’t have done it if it was video

MartinReferral from Mind

My mentor was really understanding. There were days when I felt like I couldn’t do it because of my mental health issues. She told me to take my time, and I’ll be able to do it.

JadeReferral from Social Prescribing

With a previous accident, concentration and my balance issues I never thought I’d feel confident in the kitchen like I used to

– Anya struggles with rare brain and spinal diseases, epilepsy, COPD and mental health issues. This is why I was inspired by her from the start as she shown a want to gain her confidence back and learn new skills in the kitchen. She commented on wanting to learn how to make Thai curry – which with her new skills learnt in making Chana Masala and rice cooking she definitely could! It was also lovely to see her and her daughter come together and spend quality time together in the kitchen.

Anya & her mentor, TraceyReferral from NHS Occupational Therapists

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Diabetes and diabetes prevention

All diabetic participants joining our programme get special diabetic swaps and materials. We also work with the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in some areas to support those who find following dietary guidelines difficult due to cost.

Our work uses practical learning to show participants how to substitute healthier carbohydrates to manage their blood sugar levels; eat more whole grains and pulses, how to substitute red meat with veggie alternatives, and to snack less. We have achieved excellent results with this group.

Amanda, who has diabetes, talks about her experience of the programme

The student initially seemed not very participatory. I was afraid he wasn’t interested. Instead, he completed the course, and we had a conversation lasting almost half an hour, during which he told me how much he loves to cook but that, due to health problems, he could no longer give his best in the kitchen. He also told me that he used to cook only a few types of dishes and that, thanks to the course, he was able to explore different culinary cultures for the first time. The most important thing is that he discovered brown rice’s flavour and properties for the first time, which was very important for him as a diabetic.

Adam’s mentorAdam is diabetic

It’s also been nice to have help with being diabetic because I was stuck on what to eat, what I should eat and what kind of ingredients are okay to use.

Zaindiabetic

I have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic recently too so the bulgar wheat was a great discovery. I have even bought a new pack today to try to reduce the amount of rice I usually have. I really enjoyed the videos too. They made the whole process really easy to follow.

DominicDiagnosed pre-diabetic

I am diabetic and do not always eat the best food – I need to be better at looking after myself. This course was good to do because there was encouragement to take part + watching the cooking videos was helpful. I liked to make all of the meals and the pilaff dish was very popular with my grandchildren- and easy to eat too, it reminds me of jollof rice which I used to make with white rice + now I am going to make with brown rice and add more veg

MartynaDiabetic, elderly, living alone

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Learning disabilities, autism & ADHD

After receiving referrals from Mencap for many years, this has helped us reformat our programme for accessibility to ensure that those, for example, with difficulties reading (dyslexia) or organising (ADHD) are not excluded from accessing and enjoying our course content.

We’ve run successful courses for people with learning disabilities that engage with both individuals and their carers. Cooking at home with a carer provides both a familiar environment and a friendly face – a winning combination. Our mentors work with the carer to support the participant, and a range of specifically designed materials and channels including: videos, illustrations and accessible text. This mixed media approach including WhatsApp engages students and fuels their enthusiasm.

We have also successfully worked with the parents of children with Autism and ADHD. Children with these conditions often will only eat restricted diets such as “beige foods”. Surprisingly, the parents of this cohort were very adherent and a higher proportion than usual completed the course. They all reported a positive improvement in their child’s food behaviours and eating habits.

…she ate it and tasted the other parts, saying ok, let me try, and enjoyed the flavour which is really good progress.

Keira’s MumKeira has Autism

My son took over most of the cooking, he has ADHD so sometimes he struggles with concentration but he loved doing this

Ryan’s MumRyan has ADHD

My son got involved in the cooking and was reading out the recipes and looking at the healthy ingredients. Although he wouldn’t try the food he would watch us eat it, which is a change as he usually can’t do this

Henry’s MumHenry has Autism

..he is autistic so doesn’t like some foods but he absolutely loved the pilaf rice. He doesn’t like mushrooms but he didn’t even notice! All he has been asking for since I last made it was for Pilaf!

Mo’s MumMo has Autism

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People with physical disabilities

The accessibility of the programme is excellent for people with physical limitations as it is home based and can be done in your own time, allowing people to engage when it suits them and do things in stages which can be easier. The mixed media approach means that participants can choose the support that suits them; voice notes, phone calls, text, subtitled videos are all useful tools. People with hearing impairment find the text based interaction on WhatsApp ideal.

One surprising area of success is people with visual impairment, where we have had extremely positive feedback.

I made the Chana Masala almost entirely by myself – my family cut the onions for me and read the instructions. I was really relaxed, and this recipe was the first task I have done confidently in my own house since I was registered blind in 2013… Doing the course was so much fun, it reminded me of my school days when I did my GCSE in food science, back in 1988, when I could still see.

MonaParticipant with visual impairment

My daughter is registered blind (she has a little bit of sight still) I was pleasantly surprised how blind friendly the course was, the fact there was colourful spoons meant she could see them a little, she could even use the knife sharpener because it was really easy to use. Because everything was so well portioned out in bags, and so simple to understand, it meant she knew where everything was and could complete a recipe on her own which is just amazing. In future when cooking with her I’m going to put it all in bags like that, it’s an amazing tip I have learnt from the course and will change us cooking together forever.

SophieProgramme Participant

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People with long-term medical conditions

We have recently developed specialist resources for people with long term debilitating conditions such as fibromyalgia, long COVID and ME, which interfere with a participants’ ability to cook in multiple ways; exhaustion and physical limitations impact, for example, their ability to hold a knife or stand for long, and temporal limitations mean what might be physically possible one day may not be the next.

Participants find that our practical strategies, such as advice on specialist equipment, are very useful, and that the flexibility afforded them by the mentored programme gives them the essential ability to cook when they are feeling well, and rest when not. With these participants we cook on their good days and freeze ahead for bad days.

In the video below, “Brenda” suffers from fibromyalgia and ME, and is in pain 24/7. This video was filmed 1 year after her participation in our programme.

People in recovery from addiction

We’ve helped people in recovery since our earliest days, so we have extensive experience in this area and have been commissioned for specialist courses, often working with recovery colleges, where we provide participants with essential regular one-to-one mentoring.

This is a video of some of our participants 1 year after participating in the programme. “Brian” is in recovery, living in a hostel.

Ex-offenders

We have worked on a nationwide partnership with social justice charity NACRO which was highly successful and supported 200 people through one-to-one mentoring as well as through groups.

The partnership was piloted with 10 service users in Teesside and then it was rolled out across all the NACRO housing services.

“I can only describe the course as life-changing for P. Not only does he wish he had discovered cooking earlier in his life, he also feels that now, as a retiree, he can work again either in a voluntary or paid capacity, as some manner of chef.

He is committed to doing the follow on recipes and he is already actively seeking new recipes from me and is watching a cooking show to teach him more of the basics. He feels happier and healthier than previously, and in particular it has done wonders for his mental health. It’s been a privilege to work with him“.

Bags of Taste Mentor for "P"NACRO Referral

It gives you the confidence to do other things as well – a confidence in life. I’m doing online courses; I’m not as scared any more. Because I did that cooking course, I thought I would have a go at this and that. It gives you the confidence to start things you wouldn’t normally do.

"Ian"NACRO Referral

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Care leavers

Many young people find they have to fend for themselves after leaving care and can become reliant on takeaways and ready meals, which are bad for their health and bad for their finances. Equipping young people with the skills and – in particular – motivation to cook for themselves is vital at this critical time in their lives.

In this BBC interview Sarah, one of Bags of Taste’s participants, talks about how Bags of Taste gave her the skills she needed to manage and budget her diet after leaving care, which failed to equip her for life on her own.

I found the knife sharpener great, as the knives were really dull at my foster carers house, so they were really useful and so were the measuring spoons. Before the course, I was spending about £15 a week on take aways and I can’t believe that equals over £700 a year!!

Since the course began I have not ordered any take aways and instead I have batch cooked lots of chana masala and can have that as a fakeaway. I also found the local shopping guide really useful, to help with my food budget, which is something I have struggled with.

TeganCare Leaver

Storm has poor mental health and anxiety, and thought they would struggle with being in a group with strangers. This course has helped them a lot in their confidence and food skills overall such as using knives etc. This course has meant they can now cook a meal and save a portion it for the next day and can also choose to make what size portion they prefer. Their flatmates are envious of the delicious cooking smells wafting through the house!

They were shocked when I told them that they could save over £2300 a year by cooking from scratch

Storm’s MentorCare Leaver

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Employment Support

The Bags of Taste programme provides a fun entry level course, with a high success rate. This builds:

Confidence to try new things
Curiosity to learn and develop new skills
Improved mental health
Budgeting and money management skills

It gives you the confidence to do other things as well – a confidence in life.

I’m doing online courses; I am not as scared any more.

Because I did the cooking course, I thought I could have a go at this and that. It gives you the confidence to start things you wouldn’t normally do

FrankUnemployed, referred by JCP

Claire is currently unemployed and worries about finances. This sometimes lead to not prioritising healthy meals. However, due to the course it helped her explore dishes which are easy, cheap and most importantly healthy especially since she has her 12 year old son to look after.

Claire’s mentor

Neil is proud to finish the course and has learnt so much throughout. He didn’t just learn new dishes which are quick, easy and cheap but he also learnt kitchen skills he never knew before (especially how to cook rice from scratch!).

Since he is currently unemployed, he worried about his finances. However, he learnt that cooking dishes doesn’t have to be expensive.

Neil’s Mentor

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Specialist work for specific cohorts

This deep knowledge of different challenges our participants face informs our general programmes to enable us to support each person’s unique challenges.

Mental Health

Diabetes and diabetes prevention

Learning disabilities, autism & ADHD

People with physical disabilities

People with long-term medical conditions

People in recovery from addiction

Ex-offenders

Care leavers

Employment Support

About Bags of Taste

Commission/Refer

Support Bags of Taste

For participants