Food Etc is a charitable not-for-profit organization that began operating in 2019. It’s having wonderful impact in Bedfordshire by inspiring families to eat healthier and cook at home more often. The group got started with only a single volunteer. As of today, it has 32 trained volunteers and has worked with 20 of the area’s 150+ schools.
The organization currently provides seven different cooking classes. A particular highlight is a free six-week cookery course that is available to anyone who wants to come along. This course aims to teach participants about food, provide hands-on cooking experience, and facilitate quality time between parents and their children.
Charmain Lines, a dedicated Food Etc volunteer, is passionate about changing attitudes towards cooking. She states, “People tend to think cooking at home is rather complicated and time consuming, but what we’re trying to do is show they can make something extremely tasty, really healthy, for not a lot of money and in little time.”
Today Food Etc is running 15 projects throughout Bedfordshire, making sure they can make the most impact by reaching as many families as they can. The organization believes that by offering practical cooking skills, they can help families discover healthier alternatives to their usual meals.
Vince, a participant in the course, shared his positive experience: “It’s nice to know you can save money and make big meals for lunch and dinner.” He added that he has enjoyed introducing new foods to his family, remarking, “I’ve enjoyed giving her food that we wouldn’t normally give her.”
Parents like Letti are grateful for the wider exposure their non-engineer children get through the classes. She noted, “It’s good exposure to different foods, and making it fun and enjoyable as at home he gets upset when you try to offer him new foods.” Her son benefits from engaging with food in a supportive environment, as she explains, “There’s a lot of steps before you eat something, so just touching it, seeing it, and watching others eat it is really good.”
Food Etc’s mission is relevant and relatable to the many families in the community who are in need. Shakira, who enjoys baking and cooking at home, expressed her enthusiasm for the course: “We cook at home and bake a lot, so I thought it would be nice for India.”
Today, the nonprofit has empowered millions of families by showing them that making healthy, delicious meals doesn’t require complex ingredients or elaborate recipes. Ryan, another participant, remarked on the accessibility of cooking: “It shows what you can do with not that many ingredients. You can make healthy food from scratch that doesn’t take that long and it’s not hard to do.”
