Abstract:

The paper presents the results of the European project Cooking Healthy European Paths (CHEEP). The CHEEP project was the result of a multidisciplinary and synergetic, intercultural and European effort that integrated research, training and innovation with the aim of creating a new professional figure in healthy cooking to promote healthy nutrition and aging through the creation of a cuisine that promotes healthy and sustainable dishes that can counteract the onset of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The project promoted the idea of rediscovering and redesigning, with a new healthy approach, traditional European dishes from four partner countries (Italy, Spain, Poland and France) in four specific diseases: diabetes, coeliac disease, obesity and food allergies.

The project produced concrete, long-lasting effects on the organizations involved in the planned activities: the mutual goal, in fact, was the implementation of these innovations by all partner schools, through the creation of a specific new school professional development of a pilot training course in healthy cooking within catering vocational schools' curriculum, granting and releasing a final specializing certification for the professional recognition of acquired competences. Target groups were both teachers and students. Teachers were trained during the first part of the project through webinars and meetings arranged and issued by CNR on NCDs. Afterwards, schools partner teachers trained students, providing professional competences through real teaching kitchen activities for designing healthy cooking recipes.

In addition, short-term mobility enabled a group of students from the partner schools to participate in teaching kitchen with the support of their cooking teachers, preparing selected dishes from the host country on three topics: obesity, diabetes and coeliac disease taking care to select allergen-free ingredients. The activity promoted a socio-cultural exchange between peers, encouraging the development of specific multicultural culinary knowledge and skills.

The evaluation of the students' knowledge, attitude and perception in the field of healthy cooking allowed the effectiveness of the pilot course to be verified. Good practices were socialized among schoolteachers and students, planning activities to share experiences for an interpersonal professional development in a dynamic environment. Moreover, the creation of a system of recognition and validation of this new students' profile, both for professional transversal skills, describing and defining qualifications in terms of learning outcomes, would greatly encourage entrepreneurship and increase opportunities for employability at the local, national, or international level.

Finally, the creation of a free open access digital book in Augmented Reality, containing suggestions and clear, simple, attracting recipes with explanatory videos for their correct realization, was an effective tool to support families and children. The partnership worked on the creation of this book with the cooperation of various professional figures such as doctors, researchers, teachers, cooks and students to create a collection of 72 recipes which reflect the pilot path of professional development in healthy cooking carried on by the students from the partner countries involved in the project.

Keywords:

Healthy cooking, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Augmented Reality, Learning paths, Vocational Education.