“Rose Vouchers have made a lot of difference to me. It made it easier for me to add fruit and veg to my food because going to the supermarket is quite expensive. Grapes, for example, from the supermarket are £1.75 a pack, but I can get two packs from East Street Market for £1.50.
With Rose Vouchers, you get to make a choice of fruit and veg. The kids get to go with me to get the fruit and veg they want, and they like to choose.
I never used to make soup, but now using the vegetables from the market, I have started making soup using carrots, leeks, celery and potato. I use some recipes from the ‘Cook and Eat’ sessions at Crawford Children’s Centre.
Some of the sellers at the market are really nice. They don’t care what you get if you use Rose Vouchers. I wasn’t really eating fruit and veg before we had the vouchers. With Rose Vouchers, I get the option of buying different fruit and veg, so my children can get more than their five a day. Since I’ve been getting Rose Vouchers, we’ve been eating more fruit and veg.
I didn’t start my son on fruit and veg early, probably because I didn’t get enough awareness about it, so he was a bit fussy, but now he likes it. My youngest ones I started earlier, and they love it. With the second one, I was new to the country, so I thought, I’ve got to try it if I’m going to give it to my child. I didn’t know them from my country – they were different. Now, with all the awareness I have because of all the cookery courses, I’ve tasted them, and I’m learning about the nutrients.
With the children, I’d rather have lots of fruit and veg in my house to snack on than crisps. On Saturday, they do karate, so before karate, they have lots of fruit because they need it. When they’re having their meals, they have lots of veg – I do my own salad, my own coleslaw, and I use lots of garlic and ginger now.
I’ve introduced lots of people to the Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project. I’m glad they’re introducing it here in Camberwell now– it will help a lot of mums.”