This presentation will discuss the development of the program FOODcents for Aboriginal and Torres Islander People in WA Program (also known as ATSI FOODcents). This program is an adaptation of the ‘original’ FOODcents program developed in Western Australia in 1992. This program involved three components—budgeting, cooking and a supermarket tour. The basis of FOODcents is that healthier food choices are cheaper than less healthier choices—when compared on a per kilo basis. The program was adapted to address a number of key issues such as varying levels of literacy and numeracy skills within the Aboriginal community.

The project produced several resources and provided training during the project period. An education manual was developed that is flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the local community. It can be delivered as a ‘one-off’ session, as an ongoing program, or incorporated into an existing program. Following the completion of the project, a user guide was produced as a supplement to the education manual. This guide provides a mechanism to ‘train’ nutritionists and health promotion practitioners after the project had been completed.

Community consultation also identified the need for recipes to be included in the adaptation, especially recipes suitable for people with diabetes. The result was Deadly Tucker, a collection of 39 easy-to-prepare recipes—originally produced in text format only. With additional funding this resource was then produced as a cookbook in full colour, with step-by-step photos. Deadly Tucker has been extremely popular and is being used throughout Australia; not only within a nutrition context but as a way to bring together the Aboriginal community. Some of these ‘Deadly Tucker stories’ will be shared.