Our Impact in 2021

In 2009, Garden to Table was born out of a desire to disrupt the disconnection between our land and the table, and transform the way children think about food.  

13 years on, and the Garden to Table programme continues to thrive. 

Throughout 2021, every decision we made was driven by our mission to empower tamariki around Aotearoa to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal and environmentally sustainable food.

Join us, as we explore the impact that we created last year …

Our tamariki tell it best

No one can highlight this impact better than the students themselves. Last year, we asked tamariki around the country to tell us what they liked about Garden to Table. Here’s what they had to say:

“I think the coolest part of Garden to Table is learning how to cook and do work in the garden. How fun it is to cook the food and then we get to eat it as well”.

“Garden to Table is good because you can learn to cook and plant and you can learn to bake and how to look after plants. I find Garden to Table good in building your confidence in cooking and being in the garden more often and I find Garden to Table a good way to start to learn to cook for when you are older”.

“You learn so much. It’s amazing to have all these new dishes to try and cook”.

Our Principals agree

Central to a thriving Garden to Table programme is a school Principal championing …

At the end of last year, we surveyed the 213 Principals involved in Garden to Table, and asked them to share their thoughts and experiences. Here’s what they said:

“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to be part of the programme and call ourselves a 'Garden to Table' School (we are proud of that!)”

- Garden to Table School Principal

“Our tamariki love eating fresh food out of the garden so much that they regularly go down the back all throughout the day to pick fresh veges to eat and share amongst one another”.

- Garden to Table School Principal

The benefits radiate beyond the school gate

One thing we’ve discovered is that the benefits of Garden to Table radiate far beyond the school gate. As students develop a sense of enthusiasm for harvesting and preparing seasonal produce and dishes, ripples of positive change are generated within their homes and broader communities. Their newfound skills and knowledge often boosts whānau wellbeing - which in turn, helps grow community resilience.

“A number of children have shared that they now have a vegetable garden at home that they didn't before, or that they have a section of the family garden that they look after. They also shared that they have used the recipes we cooked at school at home. The children are more open to new food experiences” .

- Garden to Table Garden Specialist

Social impact

At Garden to Table, we live in the solutions world. Our holistic food education programme is designed in a way that will generate positive impacts that will last for generations to come, across a range of areas - including health and wellbeing, education and the environment. Let’s take a look …

Hauora (health and wellbeing)  

• As tamariki build the knowledge, confidence, skills and inspiration to grow and cook fresh food, they establish the foundations for lifelong healthy habits. 

• Research has shown that Garden to Table increases children's ability to name, try and consume new fruit and vegetables*. This increased enthusiasm and accessibility to fresh, seasonal and nourishing food disrupts the growing occurrence of obesity and diet-related health challenges. 

• As tamariki spend time outside being physically active, they gain access to the therapeutic and sensory benefits of green spaces. Plus, at the end of a Garden to Table session, tamariki sit down together to share food and kōrero about their experiences - where they are able to further nurture their mental wellbeing through enriching social connections with their peers.  

“I am a huge advocate for the Garden to Table program. Cooking is a life skill many children do not learn at home, which impacts their eating habits and health and well-being well into adulthood”. 

*Centre for Endocrine Diabetes and Obesity Research (CEDOR) at Capital and Coast DHB (2019)

Ako (teaching and learning)  

• In the garden and kitchen, the language of key subjects - such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths), English, art and language skills all come out naturally, with core concepts represented in the planting, composting, watering, measuring, weighing, chopping and cooking.  

• Soft skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and teamwork are also enhanced as students engage in purposeful learning by doing.

• Our survey evaluations find that students who often don’t thrive in the classroom experience success and achievement in the kitchen and garden. 

“It is one of the most authentic learning contexts. Even students who are not initially interested, are surprised that they find it interesting once they get started. So nice to have hands-on and for kids to know where food comes from. Good science and math learning too” .

- Garden to Table Teacher

Kaitiakitanga (Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship)  

• Growing food from scratch enables children to deeply connect to Papatūānuku, and gain respect for nature's intrinsic value. As tamariki learn how our Earth produces nourishing seasonal kai, they deepen their understanding of where food comes from, and the environmental impacts of their food choices.  

• From learning about soil health, to practising composting, students experience the full circular food system in action.  

• As tangible connections are made between harvested vegetables straight to the kitchen to prepare, cook and eat, food waste and packaging are reduced. 

“Growing food, learning about where food comes from and the environmental impacts of large scale agriculture are (to me) as, if not more, important than reading and writing. Climate change is something this generation of children are going to inherit. Learning early the impact their food choices can play in reducing global warming and aiding over all health and well-being is absolutely essential education! Thank you so much for providing this programme!”

- Garden to Table Parent

We couldn’t do it alone

From volunteers and donors, to Kitchen Specialists and Garden Specialists, there are a lot of people who make the Garden to Table programme possible. As we celebrate the impact we achieved in 2021, we also celebrate each and every person who contributed to these incredible outcomes. Thank you!

If you’d like to help us reach more Kiwi kids this year (and beyond), please consider a donation to support our mahi. Ngā mihi maioha!