Retirement village operator Stockland, in partnership with Jamie’s Ministry of Food, is launching a pilot cooking program with a plan to expand the initiative nationally across its 65 villages.

24 residents at its Hillsview Retirement Village in Happy Valley will participate in a weekly educational home cooking class using Jamie’s Ministry of Food recipes which incorporate fresh garden produce from the village’s community garden.

Classes will introduce residents to new cooking skills including tips for cooking for one and clever ways with leftovers.

Participants will be evaluated by Stockland before, after and then three months later, to measure the benefits to the residents’ health and wellbeing.

Results of university research and an evaluation of the program found that vegetable consumption increased by over half a serve per day and was kept up six months after completion of the program.