Eating together is better than eating alone. That is the basis for the Hands On Cook Off, which is running its sixth annual event.
The contest started April 15 and runs until noon on May 15. B.C. residents are encouraged to join in and submit videos of themselves cooking with family and friends for the chance to win cash prizes.
The idea behind the contest is that social eating is better than eating alone.
Meghan Molnar, community dietitian for Vancouver Coastal Health on the Sunshine Coast, identified benefits to social eating that include better grades and better mental health.
“Research shows that eating together — whether it’s a family meal or eating with friends — really does make you eat better,” Molnar said. “With kids, it improves grades, and it has that emotional connection that is so important for brain development, especially in the early years.
“Generally when families sit down and eat together, they eat better [more nutritionally] as well. They generally have lower obesity rates and have a better family connection over all.”
The rules of the contest are simple: in the multigenerational category, teams of at least one adult and one child make a how-to video for a recipe of their choosing. In the youth category, at least two youths — 18 and under — make a video.
The videos will be evaluated by a panel of six judges from around B.C., including nutrition education manager from the B.C. Dairy Association, Rola Zahr.
“The most important thing the judges are looking for is participation,” Zahr said. “The judges need to see the two generations or two youth interacting and enjoying the activity.
“We don’t worry about nutrient criteria because we know that cooking together leads to eating together, which is associated with better nutrition. We just want to get people into the kitchen cooking together.”
The top prize is $1,000 for the multigenerational category and $500 for the youth category with another $500 donated to the school or youth group of the winners’ choosing. There is also a runner up prize in both categories as well as a people’s choice award. Anyone can go online and vote on their favourite videos at: bettertogetherbc.ca
