Kitchen Garden Foundation Program

This inspiring and fun program changes children’s relationship with food. It was founded by Stephanie Alexander AO, one of Australia’s most recognised cooks, food educators and authors, in 2004.

The purpose is to educate children and young people about fresh, seasonal, delicious food so they form positive food habits for life. Our beautiful school grounds set across 5 acres with large veggie patches, provides students with the perfect environment to grow, harvest, prepare and share organic, fresh produce and meals. 

As part of the program, the children will be able to participate in the following:

• Planting and growing fruit, herbs and vegetables in our veggie gardens
• Establishing worm farms for composting
• Picking and preparing produce when it’s ready
• Have fun in the kitchen cooking delicious healthy meals
• Enjoy and share prepared meals with classmates, teachers and parents.

How the program benefits children: 

• Develops positive food habits that last a lifetime
• Learn about seasons and how to care for gardens, food hygiene and sustainability
• Practical skills from recycling, composting, cooking
• Life skills such cooperating, sharing, teamwork, critical thinking and leadership
• Engage and connect with their peers, teachers and school community.

We can also see this program having a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of our students, as they build resilience when trying new things, work collaboratively and enjoy sharing in experiences with their peers. 

The program integrates with the curriculum with many opportunities to reinforce literacy, numeracy, science, and environmental sustainability. It can also be used to deliver learning and development approaches such as STEM, wellbeing programs and project-based learning.