Gwynedd foster carer recipe recognised in cookbook

This Foster Care Fortnight, Foster Wales Gwynedd is calling on people in the area to consider becoming foster carers to support local young people in need.

 

In their new cookbook – Bring something to the table – Foster Wales highlight the simple things a carer can offer – like the security of a regular meal, family time around the table, and creating new food favourites.

 

Bring something to the table has over 20 recipes, including recipes from the foster care community, and celebrity chefs, including North Wales comedian Kiri Pritchard Mclean, who draws on her personal experiences as a local authority foster carer. 

 

Gwynedd foster carer, Kanu, has shared one of her special family recipes, ‘Chicken Kadhai’, which is featured in the new cookbook.

Kanu and her husband Nadeem, originally from India, have been fostering with their local authority in Gwynedd since 2020 have welcomed many different children into their home. 

Kanu, Gwynedd Foster Carer said: 

“This recipe is our special occasion curry and it is a dish that everyone in the house enjoys,” says Kanu, who enjoys cooking for her family.

“Cooking is a very important part of Indian households. We love our curries and try to blend world cuisine with Indian spices.

“A healthy eating lifestyle has a huge impact on behaviours and for a foster child, it is important for them to have a healthy diet for their physical and emotional well-being. Quite often, their memory of meals and relationship with food isn’t that great so I like to cook nutritious meals for my family every day, from scratch.

“Whenever a foster child comes to live with us, they get a chance to try some Indian food. The first person we fostered was a teenager – she loved Indian curries and enjoyed my curries and chapattis with some rice, popadum’s and yoghurt.”

Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Councillor Elin Walker Jones added:

“We are delighted to see Kanu’s recipe featured in this collection of special recipes from our fostering communities across Wales and I am looking forward to cooking some of the dishes myself, especially Kanu’s curry!

 

“This cookbook will hopefully offer some inspiration and useful tips to support our foster carers in teaching their foster children to establish healthy eating behaviours early in life, which will have a long-lasting impact on their well-being.

 

“I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our amazing fostering community here in Gwynedd and for their commitment, passion and dedication to provide better futures for our children and young people.

 

“By fostering locally, with Cyngor Gwynedd, our foster carers are helping local children and young people to stay in their community, close to friends and family members they stay in touch with. It keeps them connected, builds stability and help them retain their sense of identity.

“To anyone thinking about fostering, get in touch with the Maethu Cymru Gwynedd team and we can talk you through your options.”

The cookbook will be distributed to foster carers across Wales and a digital version is available  from: bring something to the table - foster wales (gov.wales)

To find out more about becoming a foster carer in Gwynedd visit: maethucymru.gwynedd.llyw.cymru

 

Notes to editors

 

Interviews are available with representatives from Foster Wales and young care experienced people, throughout Foster Care Fortnight.

 

For more information or media requests, please contact  elouise@wearecowshed.co.uk / georgia@wearecowshed.co.uk