By Iman Gierdien & Clare Ewan – Paediatric Diabetes Dietitians, Musgrove Park Hospital

This October half-term, we fired up the ovens for our annual Cook & Eat family session. Children and young people with diabetes, from nursery age to Year 7, joined us with their families and friends for a 2hour fun education session. The sessions were held at Bishop Fox’s School and Bridgwater College Academy. The star of the show? Homemade pizza!

Our goal was simple: make learning about carbohydrates fun and practical. Families rolled up their sleeves, created pizzas from scratch, and learned how to count carbs in real time. Everyone left with recipes, carb-counting sheets, and tips on making meals healthier.

These sessions aren’t just about food. Another important goal is to provide an environment for children, young people and their families to meet others and make connections. Families met others on the same journey and we were thrilled to welcome two older young people as mentors to share their lived experiences and confidence with Type 1 Diabetes.

A thank you to the Josh Evans Trust Fund for their generous support and to our diabetes support workers who helped make the day run smoothly.

The feedback was positive! Families are already looking forward to the next session in 2026.