Stephanie Alexander’s kitchen garden scheme for schools - 02.02.11

One of the things I like most about having a vegetable garden is the opportunity for my kids to get their hands dirty and learn about gardening and healthy eating.

Australian cook and best-selling food writer Stephanie Alexander OAM established the Kitchen Garden Foundation to change the way children approach and think about food with the fundamental philosophy that “... by setting good examples and engaging children’s innate curiosity, as well as their energy and their taste buds, we can provide positive and memorable food experiences that will form the basis of positive lifelong eating habits...”.

The foundation has rolled out around 180 programs in schools around Australia that gives funding for schools to establish kitchen gardens to teach students to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal food.

This is a program that should be in every school in Australia. It’s the ideal way to instil in children a knowledge and understanding of food. The foundation’s website has plenty of resources on garden design, seasonal cooking tips and ways to bring the benefits of the Kitchen Garden Foundation to your home.

www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au