Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton, right, is pictured with , from left, Stuart Moloney, GAA Regional Community & Health Co-Ordinator, Brid O'Dwyer GAA Healthy Club Coordinator, College President Dr Amanda McCloat, Trevor Cohen, Sligo Health and Wellbeing Committee Chair, TD Frank Feighan and Tim O'Malley, Sligo GAA Health and Wellbeing Committee member during the Recipes for Success booklet launch event at St Angela's College in Sligo.
The GAA is excited to announce the relaunch of the 'Recipes for Success' programme in partnership with St. Angela's College. The project is the result of a unique partnership between the GAA, the Home Economics Department at St. Angela’s College, Sligo, and the ATHE (Association of Teachers for Home Economics). This collaboration aims to empower individuals with sports nutrition and the skills to prepare healthy, nutritious food to support healthy living and optimise esports performance. First launched in 2015, Recipes for Success has been reviewed and updated to keep it up to date in the world of sports nutrition. The programme was relaunched on October 26th in St Angela’s College Sligo by Minster for Public Health, Wellbeing and Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton.
The GAA’s Recipes for Success booklet is filled with tasty, healthy, performance enhancing recipes that are easy to make and aims to support GAA players and members in making the right choices. Cooking for yourself is something you can only truly learn by doing. That’s why the unique partnership behind Recipes for Success facilitates bringing teams together to enhance not only their nutritional knowledge but also their practical cookery skills, one of the most important life-skills any player can develop.
Recipes for Success has two elements; a “hands on” kitchen-based cookery workshop and a Recipes for Success toolkit which is filled with tasty, healthy, performance enhancing recipes that are easy to make.
Research carried out on the programme by St Angela’s College (REF) indicated that those reported increased nutritional knowledge alongside knowledge regarding best nutrition practice during training and pre- and post-match. 92% of participants indicated that what they learned in Recipes for Success would influence them to make healthier food choices in the future. Recipes for Success is aimed at minor and U20 players, with the aim that these players will carry the knowledge and skills to support their own nutrition through to their adult playing careers.
Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton, right, is pictured with College President Dr Amanda McCloat, Aoife Quirke from Whitegate Co Clare and Aaron Keane from St Mary's Co Sligo during the Recipes for Success booklet launch event at St Angela's College in Sligo.
Minster for Public Health, Wellbeing and Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, commented: As Minister with responsibility for public health I am delighted to see the GAA partner with St. Angelas in the “Recipe for Success” initiative, which encourages young people to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours: healthy eating with activity. The Healthy Ireland framework, launched back in 2013, supports a multi sectoral approach to health promotion and prevention, which is at the core of this community scheme. By educating young teenagers on the value of cooking healthy, homecooked meals with good quality ingredients and ongoing participation in sport, we are empowering future generations to enjoy good health with their families and in communities throughout life.
An Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy, said:“I am delighted to see this book revised, updated, and made available to our players. Playing sport is a key to a healthy lifestyle and it can be further enhanced by a healthy and nutritional approach to food. I want to thank our partners in St Angela’s College for their assistance with our Community and Health Department in delivering this book which is packed full of advice and information to assist players of all levels.”
**President of St Angelas College Sligo, Amanda McCloat said: "**We know that adequate nutrition and food skills in young athletes are vital not only for optimal athletic performance but more importantly for their growth, development and overall health as they move through an important physiological stage of life. Recipes for success aims to improve not only Nutritional knowledge among players, but also self-efficacy and improvement in cooking skills, food literacy.
The success of the research is testament to the collaborative approach that was inherent in the project from the outset. It involves Home Economists, health promotion professionals and athletes which led to a multidisciplinary approach to the initiative. Although the project has evolved, research relationships have further developed over the years._
To find out more about this programme or to get your club involved please visit https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health/healthy-eating/recipes-for-success