Food in Hard Times: Learning from the past, looking to the future

Join us for a free, family-friendly day of food, fun and discovery. Enjoy free refreshments throughout the day, including tea, coffee, juice and snacks, while exploring cooking demonstrations, food tastings, exhibitions and interactive activities. Take part in creative activities, contribute to a community artwork, share your own food memories and money-saving tips, and enjoy colouring and craft activities for children and adults alike. Meet local organisations including Citizens Advice and Hertfordshire County Council for practical advice on maximising income, budgeting and accessing support. You can also have a go on our smoothie bike (subject to confirmation) and discover new research on food and wellbeing.

Food plays an important role in all our lives, but how do people eat well when money is tight? This free community event brings together researchers, local organisations and residents to explore food and eating during difficult times: past, present and future. Visitors can discover how previous generations coped with hardship through activities inspired by the work of Florence Petty, the famous "Pudding Lady", learn practical cooking and budgeting tips from contemporary community food projects, and explore research on food insecurity, healthy ageing and dietary inequalities.

Throughout the day there will be cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions, exhibitions, creative and reminiscence activities, opportunities to contribute to community artwork, and family-friendly colouring and craft activities. Visitors can enjoy free refreshments, have a go on a smoothie bike (subject to confirmation), and chat with researchers and community organisations. Citizens Advice, Hertfordshire County Council and other local partners will provide practical information on maximising income, managing household budgets and accessing available support. There will also be opportunities to explore innovative public engagement activities, including a board game about food in later life and healthy ageing. Whether you are interested in food history, health, family life, community wellbeing or tackling food insecurity, there will be something for everyone

Rebecca O'Connell, Professor of Food, Families & Society

Abi Fisher, Policy and Community Engagement Officer (Public Health) Research and Enterprise Services

All

Families managing tight budgets, community organisations, educators, carers

Proposed timetable:

Food in Hard Times

Wednesday 28 October 2026 | 10:00am-4:00pm

Activities available throughout the day:

• Free refreshments, including tea, coffee, juice and snacks
• Citizens Advice and Hertfordshire County Council advice on maximising income, budgeting and accessing support
• "I Am More" exhibition and interactive activities exploring food insecurity and identity
• Community artwork and creative activities
• Food memories and reminiscence activities
• Children's colouring and craft activities
• Face painting
• Healthy eating and food systems activities
• Food in Later Life board game exploring nutrition and wellbeing in older age
• Smoothie bike (subject to confirmation)

Featured cooking demonstration I:

• 10:30am-11:30am
• The Pudding Lady's Kitchen
• A live suet pudding demonstration inspired by Florence Petty, the famous "Pudding Lady", with food tasting and discussion about how people made food stretch in hard times.

Featured cooking demonstration II:

• 1:00pm-2:00pm
• Affordable Family Food
• A live demonstration featuring affordable, nutritious recipes from a community cookbook, with practical tips on healthy eating on a budget and food tasting.