Kids Can Cook with Ayam Brand

Ayam Brand, a household name in Asia for 120 years and famed for its wide range of healthy, convenient, preservative-free canned products, held their annual corporate social responsibility event in Johor Baru on May 12.  

Kids have hand-on lesson in spreading Ayam Brand
tuna on slices of bread

Under their ‘Kids Can Cook’ campaign, children from participating charity homes learned how to cook simple, well-balanced, nutritious meals under the guidance of celebrity Chef Loke from T-Garden Cooking School.

The nationwide Ayam Brand Charity Campaign, now in its eighth year, has benefitted more than 14,800 people from 312 charity organizations.  This year, 48 charity homes from across the nation will receive Ayam Brand tuna, mackerel, kernel corn, processed peas, peach slices and baked beans, sufficient for daily meals for all residents for two months.  More than 1,600 children, disabled, single mothers and old folks will benefit from this sustained aid.

Ayam Brand Marketing Manger, Marie-Magali Falcoz
[back row 2nd from right] and Home Director of Persatuan
Kebajikan Berkat Johor Baru, Raymond Choong [Right]
looking on as the kids learn to cook with Ayam Brand products

In Johor Baru the recipients include Persatuan Kebajikan Berkat Johor Baru, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Insan Istimewa Johor Bahru, Rumah Cheshire and Pusat Kebajikan Kalvari Johor Baru.  The campaign is in-line with the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s efforts to fight obesity by educating and encouraging children to make informed food choices.  Through its work in promoting healthy eating habits among children and adults from professional bodies, schools, charities and edutainment centers, the brand has proven that quality canned food can be part of a healthier diet.

In a fun-filled and interactive learning session, the children learnt how to prepare four dishes using Ayam Brand Tuna that was specially developed to suit people of different ages and abilities.  Their interesting and delicious Tuna Puff, Tuna Sandwich, Tuna Sushi and Tuna Pizza were created from recipes that focused on nutrition, simplicity and convenience.

Kids observe as celebrity Chef Loke demonstrates cutting
pastry sheets to make Ayam Brand tuna puffs

Ayam Brand believes that their contribution of tuna products has benefited many charity homes that lack regular access to a good source of Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that our body cannot produce.  Studies indicate that Omega-3 may help to prevent coronary heart disease, promote healthy nerve activity, improve vitamin absorption, maintain a healthy immune system and promote cell development.  It is also important for the development of vision and brain among children.

“We believes that the Kids Can Cook campaign is an ideal platform for children to gain exposure in culinary skills that can help to build their self-confidence and make them more independent,” said Ayam Brand Marketing Manager, Marie-Magali Falcoz, a mother of three children aged between 5 to 12, who shared her personal experience that children’s early exposure to preparing food can reinforce reading, counting and even logic skills in them.

Ayam Brand Marketing Manager, Marie-Magali Falcoz
with kids who have completed their Happy Face bread slices!

“Involving children in cooking has many benefits from learning basic maths like counting eggs for example, or learning how to measure volume and weight of ingredients.  Cooking promotes literacy by introducing new words and to young children.  And it’s also a good time to bond with the children in an ‘I Can Do It’ spirit,” said Falcoz.

“Ayam Brand aims to equip children with the knowledge and skills to make not just better food choices but to make their own healthy meals.  The good habits and skills they learn at this age will last them a lifetime.  Fast food will not be their first option if they can make their own tasty and quick meals.  And early exposure to good food can even inspire them to make cooking their career,” she added.

Raymond Choong, Home Director from Persatuan Kebajikan Berkat Johor Baru, said that the contribution from Ayam Brand was valuable as it extended the variety in the children’s regular diet, and was fast and convenient to prepare.  Speaking on behalf of the recipient homes here, he expressed their appreciation for the continued and timely support from Ayam Brand as most charity homes have been facing shortages due to reductions in donations from corporations and individuals in the current economic conditions.

Kids showing off the pizza bread spread with Ayam Brand
products and cheese, ready to be popped into the oven

“Donations and contributions are not as high as last year so Ayam Brand’s contribution is a lifesaver for us.  The children enjoy the tuna as it is something different from our usual diet, and we are happy that we are able to provide a healthy option to our usual fare,” said Choong.

“We hope the Kids Can Cook campaign today will encourage the development of their culinary skills and our children will be more independent and ease our burden by helping our kitchen staff to serve other children at home,” he added.

In the wake of the earthquake in Nepal, Falcoz said Ayam Brand responded to a call from Ravichandran Tharumalingam, Malaysia’s first solo climber to conquer Mount Everest, and supplied a range of Ayam Brand products to a Malaysian medical team on a mission there.  Ayam Brand will also provide their products to the earthquake victims to supplement the protein in their diets.  For more information on Ayam Brand, visit website: www.ayambrand.com.my or https://www.facebook.com/AyamBrand.Recipes

A version of this was published in The Malaysian Insider on 14 May 2015