Queenslanders challenged to test home cooking skills against QCWA’s best

Queenslanders who have rediscovered the joy of cooking at home during COVID-19 are being challenged to boost their healthy and put their skills to the ultimate culinary test against the tried and true recipes of The Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA).

Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Robyn Littlewood today launched a new Boost your Healthy Challenge for Queenslanders, calling on home cooks to get inspired by the renowned cooking skills of the QCWA.

“It’s positive to see dining-in restrictions begin to ease. However, I want to encourage you to keep those wonderful healthy home cooking skills we’ve rediscovered during this time going,” Dr Littlewood said.

“We’re partnering with the QCWA and calling on Queenslanders to get inspired by the time-honoured delicious and healthy recipes from the QCWA Country Kitchens program.”

Queenslanders are encouraged to visit the QCWA Cook at Home Challenge page on the Boost your Healthy website and try one of the featured healthy recipes. Prepare the recipe, or your own healthy favourite, and upload a photo of your creation to enter the competition for your chance to win a prize.

“This is the latest challenge in a whole series of healthy challenges we are laying down as part of the Boost your Healthy campaign. During COVID-19 and with the upcoming flu season, there’s no better time than now to boost your healthy eating, movement and wellbeing,” Dr Littlewood said.

Media personality, Food Consultant and QCWA member Alison Alexander called on Queenslanders to take on the QCWA Cook at Home Challenge and boost their healthy in the kitchen.

Ms Alexander, the inaugural Queensland Food Fellow, said it was incredible to live in Queensland with so many regions featuring many different micro-climates and producing thousands of tonnes of food for markets around Australia and overseas.

“I have always been interested in seasonal produce and appreciating a recipe prepared with fresh ingredients at the right time of the year,” she said.

“With our fast-paced life, temporarily suspended with COVID-19, we enjoyed the chance to cook at home and revisit cooking skills we thought we had long forgotten.

“I encourage you to keep up this activity and challenge you to try one of the healthy recipes the team at Country Kitchens posts daily.”

QCWA State President Christine King said the QCWA Country Kitchens program was funded by the Queensland Government, and aimed to support people living in Queensland to improve their health.

“The QCWA, very proudly, rallies in times of crisis to help out. Since COVID-19 travel restrictions were put in place our Country Kitchens team has worked hard to switch how they connect with their Facilitators around the state and has used social media very successfully to achieve this,” Mrs King said.

“This has included having daily healthy recipes appearing on the QCWA Country Kitchens Facebook to promote key messages of getting more fruit and veg into your meals, cooking at home and sitting less and moving more.

“We’ve also been posting activities every weekend to boost your physical activity and a weekly craft activity to support good mental health.”

Mrs King said the QCWA was pleased to be working closely with Queensland’s new health promotion agency Health and Wellbeing Queensland to create the QCWA Cook at Home Challenge.

Visit https://hw.qld.gov.au/bigboost/ to register for the QCWA Cook at Home challenge and see what other Boost your Healthy Challenges are coming up.

Visit www.qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/recipes/ or follow QCWA Country Kitchens Facebook @qcwacountrykitchens or Instagram @countrykitchens for even more healthy recipe ideas and tips.