A Stansted care home teamed up with another home in Ware to save traditional recipes from being forgotten.
Care UK, which operates Mountfitchet House in Stansted and Snowdrop House in Ware, conducted a poll of 2,000 adults and found nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of people no longer use family recipes that have been handed down throughout the generations - however 43 per cent said they are keen to save them.
In a bid to prevent family recipes from being lost forever, Care UK has launched a free downloadable recipe book, Recipes to Remember, which features recipes shared by care home residents across the UK.
As part of the launch, Mountfitchet and Snowdrop House residents went head-to-head in a MasterChef-style competition, whipping up their best food favourites and family recipes from the past.
Ann, who lives at Mountfitchet House, said: "I had a lovely afternoon reminiscing about recipes I used to cook and enjoyed showing off my baking skills."
Snowdrop House came out on top, with a coffee cake from resident Viv voted the tastiest treat.
Viv said: "We recreated my coffee cake, a family favourite, and it evoked many happy memories."
To download a copy of the recipe book go to careuk.com/recipes-to-remember.
Joanna Duke, home manager at Mountfitchet House, said: "We had a fantastic time visiting Snowdrop House for a thrilling cook-off!
"We’ve loved hearing all about the residents’ favourite recipes from their time growing up and through the different decades.
"They’ve certainly given the team food for thought when it comes to deciding what to have for dinner tonight!"
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Snowdrop House manager Clare Crow added: "We all certainly enjoyed whipping up some treats as we welcomed Mountfitchet House into our kitchen to revisit residents’ food favourites from decades gone by.
"Food plays an important part in all of our lives, and there’s something special about the way the senses have the ability to evoke happy memories and emotions – keeping old family recipes bubbling away, sharing favourite dishes with each other and trying new cuisines."
Mountfitchet and Snowdrop House both provide full-time residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care.
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