Cookery lesson should be brought back in schools

What a pity the powers that be took domestic science off the school curriculum.

I loved taking my ingredients to class and coming proudly home with a delicious cottage pie for tea or an apple crumble for pudding for my parents and siblings.

It's 50 years ago now but, starting with making a sandwich and progressing over two years to a lasagna, it gave me a good grounding to experiment and learn the art of cooking and, later on, to feed my family.

Most of today's young people haven't an inkling of how to switch the cooker on, let alone make a meal.

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Where on Earth would they be without the microwave and fast food? Or the tin opener and takeaways?

I saw a woman in the supermarket the other day with her toddler. Mum said "we need some carrots and peas".

The girl went straight to the fresh carrots. Mum said "No, not those carrots" and picked up a tin from the shelves opposite, along with a tin of peas. "Mummy means these carrots."

Are people too lazy to cook or have they no idea?

There is nothing nicer than freshly cooked vegetables. A three-tiered stainless steel steaming pan can be bought from most supermarkets for under £10.

You only need to use the one pan for a meal of fresh veg and potatoes to feed a family.

Progress can easily be checked on the cooking and texture using a fork and you are only using one burner on the cooker, so saving gas or electricity.

Cook some lean meat or fish in another pan and you have a tasty and healthy dinner with no added sugars and salt.

Better still, use a slow cooker. Again, the cost is £10 if you shop around.

The cheapest meat melts in the mouth and, filled with carrots, onions, parsnip, a stick of celery, some stock, etc, you have a lovely meal, healthy and cheaply cooked slowly all day.

Serve with some steamed potatoes and broccoli and enjoy.

It seems that we have a generation of people who do not cook meals from scratch.

It can only lead to a downhill spiral in our diets and health.

You only have to look at some the people's trolleys in supermarkets. They are full of crisps, cakes, cheap bread, burgers and microwave meals.

The Government should put cookery lessons back on the school curriculum.

At least those who cannot find jobs then will be able to feed themselves cheaply.

Or are today's teenagers so addicted to the fast food fat, sugar and salt that they don't want good food?

Carol Williams, Quorn.