Looking for some festive gift inspiration?
We've rounded up our favourite gifts to make at home, or at your school or service. All are easy to whip up, and perfect for family, friends and colleagues.
If you’re short on time, check out our list of ready-made gifts from the Foundation’s online shop. As a not-for-profit charity, all proceeds from shop sales help us support educators to deliver pleasurable food education to children in Australia.
Shop before Wednesday 16 December for pre-Christmas delivery.
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Five kitchen garden gifts you can make
- Leaf Rubbing. Make beautiful decorative prints by placing leaves and flowers from your garden under a piece of calico and gently hammering over the flora with a rubber mallet. The prints can then be used to wrap gifts, such as Newspaper Planting Pots (see below). The fabric can also be turned into beeswax wraps. Download activity.
- Newspaper Planting Pots. Use recycled newspaper to make planting pots, a sustainable gift for friends and family. Plant the pots with corn, cucumber, beans or sunflower seeds, and create homemade labels for your pots. Download activity.
- Recycled Seed Paper. Create some eco-friendly seed paper using paper scraps and seeds you have saved from your garden. The paper makes lovely festive gift cards that can be planted directly into the ground after use. Download activity.
- Quick Pickles. Experiment with seasonal vegetables and different types of vinegars, herbs and spices to make a batch of pickles. The pickles are ready to eat in an hour or two, and make a delicious accompaniment to festive dishes and leftovers. Download recipe.
- Kitchen Herb Pots. Create bright pots of herbs to dress up kitchen windowsills. Plant terracotta pots with herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary. Decorate the pots with colourful ribbons and give them away to family and friends. Download activity.
Five kitchen garden gift ideas from the Foundation’s online shop:
- The Great Chicken Escape by Brendan Bolton. Garden Specialist and storyteller Brendan has run kitchen garden programs in Victorian primary schools for many years. In his debut children’s book, The Great Chicken Escape, he shares the true story of some cheeky chooks and their high-henergy getaway. Shop now.
- The Kitchen Garden Journal. The Foundation’s Kitchen Garden Journal is the perfect gift for anyone looking for tips on growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing throughout the seasons. It includes month-by-month planting and harvesting guides, garden task ideas and recipe suggestions, as well as space to write planting and harvesting notes. Shop now.
- Stephanie Alexander’s cooking and gardening books. Our online shop has signed copies of all Stephanie Alexander’s books, including The Cook’s Apprentice – a handy book for the younger cook who’s just starting out. Shop now.
- Kitchen Garden Foundation child’s aprons. Our Kitchen Garden Foundation aprons are sure to be a hit with budding chefs. Shop now.
- Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Companion Planting Chart. This poster-sized planting chart provides month-by-month suggestions for when to plant seasonal vegetables in hot, temperate and cooler climates. Shop now.
- Kitchen Garden Foundation calico bag. Why not add one of our new calico bags to your online order, to ‘wrap’ your kitchen and garden gifts? They also make a handy and practical Kris Kringle present. Shop now.
If you need to buy a gift for the person who has everything, please consider making a donation to the Kitchen Garden Foundation. Your contribution will support our vision to help children form positive food habits for life. All donations are tax-deductible. Donate here.
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