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Announcing a package paving the way for compulsory practical cooking lessons in secondary schools, he urged parents to get their children, particularly boys, cooking at home because it was one of the keys to fighting obesity.

The new funding includes £150 million ringfenced capital investment to build food technology teaching areas in schools without facilities and £750,000 specifically to recruit and train 800 new food technology teachers.

The Government is also making available a new, free cookbook for all 11-year olds today, to help them learn healthy versions of old favourites – from spaghetti bolognaise; risotto; lamb hot pot; lamb rogan josh; roast chicken legs; chow mein; and apple crumble.

The 'Real Meals – Simple Cooking Made Easy' cookbook containing 32 classic recipes and sauces and endorsed by top chef Phil Vickery, was chosen after the public was asked to nominate the basic dishes every child should learn how to cook.

The cookbook is available online and heads will be able to order copies for all their Year 7 pupils.

• Download the Real Meals cookbook (PDF, 17112K)

Today’s announcement follows ministers’ confirmation in January that from 2011, food technology lessons, including hands-on practical cooking lessons, will be compulsory for every 11-14 year olds – the first time that cooking has ever been compulsory in schools.

They also committed £2.5 million a year will be invested to cover or subsidise the cost of cooking ingredients for children on free school meals.

Cooking is already compulsory in primary schools and the new food technology curriculum for 11-14 year olds introduced this term, puts renewed focus on practical cooking skills – unlike the old lessons. Every secondary school pupil is also entitled to take part in the Licence to Cook Programme, where students learn to cook and understand the principles of diet and nutrition, health and safety and wise food shopping.

Secretary of State Ed Balls said: 

“All parents want their children to be fit and healthy and we have a responsibility to fight rising obesity in young people. I have no time for people who say this is ‘nanny-statism’ – we owe it to ourselves and future generations to make a stand now.

“Too many people simply accept they cannot cook; do not have time for it; or even take pride in it. We’ve lost touch with making basic dishes from scratch, even though there has never been a wider range of food in our shops. Once you’ve mastered basic dishes and techniques it is a straightforward skill which you can build on for the rest of your life. Food prices may be rising but you can still prepare nutritious, tasty dishes if you can shop, budget, plan and cook properly."