Meet Jamie Oliver's dinner lady - Nora Sands

All About You online 27.03.2008

I have loved cooking ever since I was a little girl. My mum used to grow her own vegetables and she taught me all about fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. We would go to the garden, dig the vegetables up and she would let me help her prepare our family meals.

Nora Sands - dinner lady from Jamie's School Dinners By Norah Sands

I loved learning all her little cooking secrets, and our time together in the kitchen made us very close. It was always so much fun spending time cooking with her, but it was even more of a riot when the whole family got together to eat and laugh and argue over who got the biggest portions!

It's not always easy for busy mums and dads to find the time to cook meals - I know, I have two kids of my own. But it makes me sad that some children don't know anything at all about cooking fresh food, or think that chicken only comes in funny shapes. If you watched Jamie's School Dinners, you'll know what I'm talking about. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about posh ingredients, let alone how to pronounce them (celeriac, ciabatta, mozzarella to name a few), but I've seen so many kids who don't even know a carrot from a potato. And that really worries me.

If anyone tries to tell you that home-cooked food can't be delicious too, they'll have to answer to me

I've met so many children whose only experience in the kitchen is warming up ready meals in the microwave. So, I decided to write a book to get kids excited about cooking, and to share my experiences and favourite family recipes. I'm not a chef and would never pretend to be so. This is simple home cooking for kids to try, and not complicated, fancy restaurant food. And if anyone tries to tell you that home-cooked food can't be delicious too, they'll have to answer to me.

I don't expect you to be able to cook everything from scratch, but if you manage just one thing at the weekend that's an achievement. If I can do it, anyone can give it a go! So get into the kitchen with your family and friends and have fun!