Your thoughts

"I agree that maybe home economics should be compulsory-at least until kids start their GCSE subjects, but it really does start from home. i think i could make pasta sauce when i was 10, we used to bake at my grandparents' every weekend, and we were just generally encouraged to help with the chores/domestics. As for price, there is no excuse for not being able to buy wholesome unprocessed ingredients if you don't have much money. i can vouch for this growing up and also when i moved out of home. Basics like rice, pasta, flour, tinned toms, beans etc make the base of lots of hearty healthy meals and just look for fruit and veg on offer/seasonal etc. I would much rather have healthy food than new clothes, mod-cons etc. You just have to prioritise a bit. Give it a go. Use internet for ideas/recipes. Plus eat less animal products. You'll find your shopping bill comes down, and you help those animals and the environment too."

Sarah Wall

"My family and I home cook every day currently. We use fresh ingredients, and make a wide variety of styles of food including Thai, Indian, Moroccan , Mexican We keep 'ordering in' or eating out in it's proper place, as a treat only. I am 25 years old, so in 2030 I will only be in my mid 40's and home cooking will still be part of my life. My wife is great at teaching our 2.5year old son to cook from home now, and this I'm sure will continue as he grows and will be instilled in him for when he goes on to have his own family. I am hopeful that as a family, "Yes!" we will still be home cooking in 2030."

M Rich

"Balanced diet is always essential for person at any age. A universal accepted metrics of the Vitamins, Calcium, Proteins for man & women for the different age groups needs to be pasted in every food items."

Saiprasad Parthasarathy

"kids need to be taught how to cook and how delicious food can be - they also need to understand that their bodies need good healthy food to run properly - just as a car needs the right petrol."

Danine

"I don't just think its ready meals that are robbing anyone the desire to cook, I am a parent governor of a community school in devon and am in dire need of help to promote with the help of a cookery teacher the need to inspire students to take an interest in food. In the lst ten years it has gone from having 3 cookery class rooms down to one, and now with a cohert of 11 to 19 year olds with approx 1000 student it is failing to have very little up take. Anyone have any suggestions, we are in need of a Jamie Oliver make over before this are is lost for good."

Cindy Vining

"Ready meals are robbing many of the need or desire to cook properly. Home Economics, call it what you will, l must return to schools so the kids can re-educate the parents!"

John Carey

"Im 29 and I cook most meals from scratch. I'm inspired by Jamie Oliver, I think he's amazing! I really think what I'm putting in my kids and our mouths and bodys, still like chocolate though for treats, but meals, I couldn't think of anything worse than cooking micro meals for my kids. It is expensive to eat healthy,we only get one wage coming in and with pay cuts and things going up its hard, I have to have breaded chicken instead of chicken breast or fish with my lunch as if I bought fresh meat for lunch times as well I wouldn't be able to pay my bills, so it is hard, the way things are going it would be due to lack of money people might not, but then again I have lots friends who say they wouldn't know how to or haven't got the time, I don't sit still so im used to it, lol. Home cooking is the best!Wouldn't have it any other way, sorry its long."

April

"Some supermarkets such as M&S do no good for this cause by promoting their meal deals which are almost entirely ready meals. More initiatives such as the ones above should be used to promote the use of fresh ingredients. And these ingredients must present significantly better value for money than ready meals to encourage people to purchase them. Perhaps the Government could make them exempt from the upcoming VAT rise."

Chris

"Families that embrace cooking will continue to do so. I have cooked with my mother, my son & daughter and thier children and I believe it must continue so there is always good food available."

Pat Lacey

"I think the government could do more: prevention is better than a cure. Have more cooking at school, even at primary school and parenting classes with cooking demonstrations for young mothers."

liz baines

"I have always cooked fresh, healthy food for my family. In 2030 when I will be 71, I will still be cooking, and hopefully for my grandchildren, husband and family. My house has not embraced the microwave, and I hope it never will."

Arlene

"I think with the growth of wonderful local produce, especially in Cumbria, the issues of the impact on the environment and also health - everyone should be still cooking in 2030."

Gail Gravett