About us

We are a social enterprise, building health and community through family cooking. We run stay-and-play style cooking sessions and through these and other activities help young children and their adults explore, enjoy and engage with food and each other. We’ve found there are so many great ways of getting families cooking – and a nearly infinite list of benefits! But the one thing that our activities will always have in common is that they’ll be simple, fun for everyone and from scratch!

Our story

Our story starts with two mums needing something to do with their kids – but it’s become the organisation it is today through many other people’s stories too!
 
Eva and Rebecca were living near each other with young kids. They were seeing preachy ‘healthy eating’ classes for parents, alongside ‘baking’ activities full of sugar and cakes and they were frustrated. They knew that they needed at least two ideas every day for savoury meals, and guessed others might too. They also wanted to turn up to a stay-and-play activity that made them feel like they’d achieved something as well as entertaining the kids!
They were lucky to have access to a small space where they could try out their idea with no pressure. So they took their excitement for food, their training and facilitation experience and their over-enthusiasm to bite off more than they could chew – and Kids Kitchen was born.
 
Not long after this, one of their first regulars – Aneta and her son Erik, had to move. Determined that her child would still have a Kids Kitchen to go to, Aneta demanded that Rebecca and Eva support her to make it happen – so they did! A number of others followed and it showed us all how the ideas could be picked up by anyone.
Since then, many people have hopped on and off the Kids Kitchen wagon. Coming to a session and getting a few more meal and activity ideas, or taking it further and learning how and why sessions work. When Rebecca moved to Herefordshire we discovered that this need for a fun morning together and a few meal ideas exists wherever there are tired parents! We now have three hubs and a supportive, experienced network of session leaders for anyone that wants to make a session happen near them.
 
Aneta, Eva and Rebecca continue to be involved in all levels of Kids Kitchen and as directors of the CIC that it has become.

Our values

Kids Kitchen is... Fun – Sustainable – Inclusive – Collaborative - Open

  • We have fun – adults too! Kids Kitchen is about us all enjoying good company and good food. 

  • We cook from scratch – and mostly savoury – recipes.  Everyone looking after a child needs to think up at least two savoury meals a day!

  • We cook with simple plant-based ingredients – we avoid dairy, eggs and meat. This is the best way we have found to be cheap, sustainable and inclusive.

  • We use organic, local, ingredients where we can.

  • We talk about where our food comes from.

  • We share the eating as well as the making.

  • We actively involve everyone in activities. No-one is too old or too young to enjoy Kids Kitchen.

  • We create a space for us all to engage with each other.  Being a carer can be isolating but it is also a great time start new relationships that can last a lifetime.

  • We build connections – so many friendships and networks have been created through Kids Kitchen! We believe what we are doing is important and we want as many people as possible to be doing it too.

Like our values? Find out more about our team and our impact.

Want to support us? Click the button to donate.

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Where it all started - The Hornbeam Community Cafe in Walthamstow. The three sessions became monthly and were run by Rebecca and Eva from 2011-2014.
Where it all started - The Hornbeam Community Cafe in Walthamstow. The three sessions became monthly and were run by Rebecca and Eva from 2011-2014.
When Aneta and Eric moved from East to South London they missed Kids Kitchen so much they started their own. Aneta asked a friend if she could use her kitchen and invited her neighbours along. Now she is Hub Coordinator!
When Aneta and Eric moved from East to South London they missed Kids Kitchen so much they started their own. Aneta asked a friend if she could use her kitchen and invited her neighbours along. Now she is Hub Coordinator!
Annabelle came to our first ever Kids Kitchen and continued to be a regular at the Hornbeam. She also hosted in her front room and helped the toddlers of Hackney cook up a storm. Look at all those amazing vegetables!
Annabelle came to our first ever Kids Kitchen and continued to be a regular at the Hornbeam. She also hosted in her front room and helped the toddlers of Hackney cook up a storm. Look at all those amazing vegetables!
After attending a free training session, Sara, Venetia and Agi got stuck in and planned, promoted and ran three great sessions from The Red Route Cafe in Lower Clapton, London. Here they are making a delicious couscous salad.
After attending a free training session, Sara, Venetia and Agi got stuck in and planned, promoted and ran three great sessions from The Red Route Cafe in Lower Clapton, London. Here they are making a delicious couscous salad.
Some local funding helped Aneta take what she started in her friend's kitchen and run with it. She is now running regular sessions in South East London, and training others too.
Some local funding helped Aneta take what she started in her friend's kitchen and run with it. She is now running regular sessions in South East London, and training others too.
FEASTS: Three Courses! As part of Appetite Festival in Waltham Forest, and community funding in Hackney we hosted an event bringing families together to cook and enjoy three courses including Summer rolls, Wellington with roast potatoes and an amazing vegan banoffee pie!
FEASTS: Three Courses! As part of Appetite Festival in Waltham Forest, and community funding in Hackney we hosted an event bringing families together to cook and enjoy three courses including Summer rolls, Wellington with roast potatoes and an amazing vegan banoffee pie!
Funding from the Big Lottery Fund allowed us to train and support new volunteers to start their own Kids Kitchens. One of our volunteers was Nikki. She is an amazing cook and with her two young children by her side Nikki has run sessions from a local community centre and her home. These kids have been adding spice to the veg for a tagine.
Funding from the Big Lottery Fund allowed us to train and support new volunteers to start their own Kids Kitchens. One of our volunteers was Nikki. She is an amazing cook and with her two young children by her side Nikki has run sessions from a local community centre and her home. These kids have been adding spice to the veg for a tagine.
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