(Back row, fifth from left onwards) Nestle (M) Bhd sustainability and government relations head Michelle Woon, Noor Nabila, Afiqah and Wong (front row) with contestants of the cooking competition. — Photos by S.S.KANESAN/The Star
A FUN cooking competition for parents and their children was held as part of Nestle Malaysia’s “Together in the Kitchen” campaign.
Nestle (M) Bhd group corporate nutrition manager Wong Mei Ching said the campaign was part of the global Nestle for Healthier Kids (N4HK) programme to empower 50 million children to lead healthier lives by 2030.
“With a keen understanding of the nutritional challenges that Malaysians face, our N4HK programme teaches children to make good food choices.”
She said getting the children involved in preparing meals helped to increase their willingness to try a wider variety of nutritious food including vegetables and fruits.
A nutrition talk was also held at the event, presenting simple and appetising bento recipes paired with Milo UHT as an easy and convenient energy source to keep children going in daily activities.
(From left) Noor Nabila, Afiqah and Nestle (M) Bhd corporate affairs executive director Adnan Pawanteh (right) presenting prizes to Alif and his daughter Naylaa.
“Our Milo UHT product range is loved by children of all ages,” Wong added.
Malaysian celebrity Noor Nabila Mohd Noor and her son Jebat Jayden Ahmad joined the nutritional talk and cooking demonstration with nutritionist Afiqah Kahar.
Nabila and Afiqah highlighted the importance of getting children involved in preparing meals and shared tips for parents to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.
The cooking competition drew 16 participants comprising parents and their children.
Each pair was given a mystery box containing nutritional ingredients for them to whip up a healthy bento meal in less than one hour.
The participants were also free to explore the pantry that had other ingredients to help spice up their dishes.
First-place winner Alif Saifuddun, 34, said the programme opened up horizons as parents needed to be exposed to nutritional food for their children.
“It was fun to cook with my seven-year-old daughter Naylaa Afrah today and it is also good to know that we have healthier options for meals,” he said.
Third-place winner Keillash Vadivelan, 10, said it was so much fun to experience a cook-off for the first time just like the ones he saw on TV.
“My mum and I made mac and cheese, pan-grilled salmon, roasted vegetables and a salad.
“We also made dessert with fruits and chocolate.”
Keillash said it was a memorable day for him and he would like to share with his friends what he learned.
“I was mum’s little helper. I helped with picking ingredients from the pantry, stirring the macaroni and seasoning the fish and vegetables.
“The dessert was my idea. We were running out of time, so we decided on something quick and yummy,” he said.
Karen Lim Zey Hui, 33, took part with her four-year-old daughter Coco Kuan Chen Yuan, who was the youngest participant.
Lim said the contest provided good bonding time with her daughter.
“I normally cook or bake with my daughter twice a week as she is always curious about what I’m doing in the kitchen.
“During the cooking competition when we made honey cornflakes, I asked about her preferences for additional ingredients to enhance the dish.
“She told me she would like to include chocolate chips in the honey cornflakes.
“She is always involved in every step of the cooking process and I am happy to let her explore her creativity,” said Lim.
