IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN

No doubt readers will have heard the news of the Manukau Food Bank that was burgled over the weekend and thousands of dollars worth of food destined for community food parcels taken by greedy and selfish bastards. 

FOOD BANK BURGLARY

Speaking on Sunday, Dave Letele (founder) described the incident as “a kick in the face”.

“All I can say is, to steal food you must have needed it. The crazy thing is if you asked us we would have given it.

“I just hope it's not someone that we’ve helped. It looks like they knew what they were doing, they were very familiar with our place. It’s just like a kick in the face man,” he said.

Sure, they likely needed it but why shit all over other needy people, probably in their own community. Some people are just bad. I hope that Robert's god smites them.

On National Radio today I listened to an interview with someone (it might have been Letele) who said that many families don't have enough money for food and, when they do, they don't have the skills to buy and cook the right things within a budget.

This struck a chord with me (I'm not sure which one - maybe Richard or Robert will know) as for a long time I've been critical of household money being spent on expensive and unhealthy take aways and at the lost art of cooking, particularly amongst people who can least afford it. FAST FOOD

I also thought of the comment on them not having the skills to buy and cook the right things. This is the core of the problem (in addition obviously to too low incomes and benefits).

Food and cooking apparently is still part of the schools curriculum but a woefully low number of schools and teachers actually teach it, especially not as a practical exercise in kitchens.

food curriculum research

KIWI KIDS ARE NOT TAUGHT TO COOK A PROPER MEAL

 When I was at school (and Christ was a cowboy) all schools had cooking for girls (domestic science) and woodwork for boys. Both of these disciplines provided valuable skills for kids growing up and maybe more effort needs to be put into sustaining and, in most cases, resurrecting them. In todays more sensibly enlightened times both disciplines should be available to both boys and girls.