Get your veg on with Grow It, Cook It, Eat It

Buckinghamshire Council supported ‘Grow It, Cook It, Eat It’ initiative helps residents in times of hardship to put nutritious and fresh food on their table. As the number of food parcels distributed to households in Buckinghamshire reached 13,718 in the first six months of 2022, many residents are looking for help to find affordable and healthy solutions and alternatives. Grow It, Cook It, Eat It is a community-led project that focuses on growing healthy produce, meanwhile educating local residents about maintaining and harvesting crops to allow people to grow their own food.

There is no cost or membership to visit one of the growing sites, and very little to no commitment – anyone can visit when they have spare time. What doesn’t get taken home from the allotments is donated back to the community.

If you’re a grower and sometimes find yourself with excess fruit and vegetables you can also give back to those in your community who need it via the Grow to Give project, where surplus produce from local allotments and gardens goes towards helping the community via local food banks to help households who may need extra support to access healthy and nutritious foods.

The Grow to Give project has been running in Aylesbury and High Wycombe since 2020, linked to local food banks and was recently launched in Amersham with residents waiting at the door of the council building at 10am to collect fresh produce. Check the Grow to Give website to find your nearest donation allotment site and free access to recipes and cooking videos.

The Grow it Cook it Eat it initiative also provides free cooking sessions delivered by our fully trained Volunteer Cooking Tutors who will link in with their local Grow It, Cook It, Eat It community growing site. Each site has its own dedicated Expert Gardener who is on-hand to offer help and guidance about how to get started with growing your own food.

Angela Macpherson, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“During these difficult times we are proud to support such an amazing project, that provides nutritious, free produce and brings communities together out in the fresh air. I hope that these projects show communities that anyone can grow delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs for their own use – even if it’s grown in a window box or plant pot!

“You can get involved for free - all you need to do is get in contact with your local Expert Gardener to arrange a visit where you will be shown around the site and can receive hands-on information. You don’t need any prior experience of gardening or growing to get involved!”

For further information or to find your nearest growing site, please visit the project webpage.