Food tastes better outdoors

Overview

Food Tastes Better Outdoors was a project to enable people with learning disabilities to prepare and package healthy food for picnics and discover suitable places to eat outdoors.

The project resulted in a series of activity packs containing suggestions for low-cost, easily accessible outings and instructions for putting together healthy food to take along.

The process involved close consultation with people with learning disabilities who provided the ideas and tested them.

Food Tastes Better Outdoors enabled the students to develop their communication skills, build their confidence and express their individual creativity. The project allowed us to explore the ideas behind healthy eating and why it is important. Creating their individual recipes and contributing to group ones gave all the students a sense of ownership of the work.                       

The project process

Phase 1

We consulted with groups of people with learning disabilities, including students from a local special school, to generate ideas. The consultations were then followed by practical sessions with the groups to test recipes, try out packaging, and pick sites for picnics.

Phase 2

We developed the content of the activity packs and translated them into Widgits. Widgit is a symbol-based language developed for people with learning disabilities, it is the main symbol set used in special schools throughout the UK. An example of Widgits is shown on this page.

Phase 3

We then tested the packs with the students to ensure that they were useable and easy to follow. Some of the content was refined following the feedback we received.

Phase 4

We reviewed the packs with the students we had been working with; they were able to see how their work had contributed to the resources that are now available to all.

Phase 5

We produced the final version of the packs. These are disseminated through our website, and the Symbol World website.

We also held a launch event for the students involved to go outdoors and have a picnic. We went to a nearby farm where the students could celebrate all the hard work they had done to help create the resources.

We plan to continue adding to the recipes available. The students are keen to share any recipes they create in the future for us to translate and share with the wider online community.

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