Well, we are less than 2 weeks away from Food Revolution Day, 2014. MAY 16 is the day and this year will be the biggest yet! I have been a Food Revolution Ambassador for nearly two years and it is with great pleasure that I take things online this year – because it means we can all celebrate together!
What is Food Revolution Day?
It’s a Global day to celebrate cooking skills. It’s a coming together of people wanting to embrace the Real Food way of life – Enjoying fresh produce, getting cooking, those with kids teaching their kids to cook and getting them involved.
It’s Jamie Oliver’s brain child as a response to the Global obesity crisis and the loss of cooking skills since the dawn of ‘convenience foods’.
How can you get involved? Join our massive Virtual Cookathon on May 16, 2014, wherever you are in the world.
If you’re in Australia, you’ll be in the running to win amazing prizes to the value of $1000 and climbing, simply by organising some cooking and snapping your pics and sharing them online on that day! Get involved!
I’ve explained it in more detail in this little video – Please excuse my Blair Witch esque badly lit home jobby – Just easier to explain myself with a good old fashioned rambling on!
So, those hashtags again for when you post your pic to facebook (if posting to facebook, put it on my facebook page wall so I definitely see it!), twitter or instagram (for twitter and instagram just the hashtags are fine, I can easily find there) on MAY 16
#FRD2014
#FRDAlexx
#FRDOZ
Prizes will be coming to you from some of my favourite businesses and authors including cook books by the talented Colin Fassnidge, inspiring delicious home cooking with his new book which will be personally signed, Four Kitchens; the amazing Jo Whitton with a signed copy of her hot off the press Quirky Cooking book, a selection of Best Selling Donna Hay Cook Books, inspirational Let’s live additive Free books by Melanie Avery and delicious Cut out the Crap cook books by the fab Collette White, kiddie gardening kits from Planet Eco , goodies from Happy Tummies, gorgeous organic teas from Ovvio Organics, the brilliant reusable food pouches by 4MyEarth, online organic shopping vouchers from Shop Naturally, Nourishing Hub and Organics on a Budget – Who wouldn’t want to win one of those treasures. A simple pledge and an upload of a pic means you’re in the running. Simple!
Here are all the businesses contributing prizes – Books, vouchers, eco garden packs & luxury tea hampers. All for cooking with your family and friend’s this Food Rev Day!
What to do now…
Step 1:
Make your pledge to celebrate Food Revolution Day here in the comments.
No need to say what you’re doing specifically yet, but a little idea, a dinner party, cooking something with your kids… All of it serves as a pledge.
Step 2:
Share this post if you feel comfortable doing that, and say to your friends that you’ve pledged to celebrate Food Revolution Day 2014. Let’s grow the movement and spread the word!
Step 3:
Head to the Food Revolution International Website and sign up (optional). You can download print and web stuff there or even get activity ideas to do with your kids! Let’s show the world that Australia is ALL OVER IT! xx
Here are some ideas from me…
Got kids?
- Make a cake, bikkies, lunch or dinner with your little ones. Take pics.
- Get together with a couple of fellow parents and get a few fruits and veg and take them into school and get the kids to make fruit / veggie salads as an activity
- Host a kids cooking class at home for your kids and a couple of their friends and teach them a recipe – I’m heading to my son’s preschool to do a salad making workshop and teaching them jam jar salad dressing too, then fruit skewer making. Can’t wait!
- Get creative: Share your ideas in the comments here to inspire others.
No kiddies?
- Have a twilight picnic and bubbles with friends in the park and everyone brings an array of home made yumminess
- Host a lunch or dinner with good friends, and have a theme and get everyone contributing a dish – a family specialty, your signature, a new dessert you’ve tried – I’m holding a pot lucking dinner party with friends at ours with the theme “bring a dish that brings back memories for you’ – hopefully it won’t be a string of mango chicken from the early 90s!
- Have a romantic dinner with your partner and cook each other things that remind you of your first date, or a special favourite.
- Have a work lunch with everyone’s real food efforts, in the boardroom and have a little party!
Extra things you can do!
- Tag your producers – The people that grown and produce our food are heroes. We wouldn’t eat if it weren’t for our farmers.
- Tag your favourite businesses that you buy your ingredients from.
- Make a collage of your favourite pics of the day and hashtag those too
- Share the recipe with your picture so others can make your dishes too
Here are some ideas in a video from friend, one of Australia’s most talented chefs, owner of 4 in Hand, 4 Fourteen & judge on MKR… Colin Fassnidge.
(and if you’ve picked up on the fact that video production isn’t my forte by now, I dare say you’re not alone! )
So let’s all connect online on MAY 16, 2014.
We’ll have a massive cookathon day celebrating real food, favourite dishes, moments cooking with friends and family. Read the pledges building below!
Real Food is the way of history and it’s the way forward – There’s only this little tiny space in time in the recent past that we went a little wrong – EASY FIX! Eat real food and teach our kids to choose real food.
Here’s my Real Food Manifesto. It says pretty much everything I feel about real food in one nifty poster! <3
Big Love. Let’s do this!
Alexx xx
Comments 113
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I’m going to be doing a salad making workshop at my son’s kindy whre 4 tables of 5 kids per table will get to choose their own adventure salads and then share with the class. Then will bake a special treat just me and the little guy after preschool, then have a pot lucking dinner party with friends. Theme still undecided xx
HI! We have a school in North Vancouver with a garden. The kids have planted a few rows of spinach which they are watching grow. We will harvest on FRD and make a spinach penne for lunch at the Well Fed studio in North Vancouver. Will be super fun!
We pledge to cook a delicious meal together as a family!
our family will be cooking up
some chia chicken schnitzels and g/f w/f e/f chocolate cake!
come on peeps!
I’m in! I’m going to let my kids choose what we have for dinner and teach them how to cook it 🙂
Pledge to cook dinner as family and anything else we fancy! 🙂
I pledge to get my kids in the kitchen with me on this day and more often!
Great idea! We’re planning a family friendly family cooked sit down dinner! 🙂
We will be having people over for dinner, and Mr Nearly 4 will be doing the cooking!
Pledging to have a cookup/ family meal with the kids where each gets to choose a course and then helps to cook it.
I pledge to make FRD an extra special day of cooking! Friday’s are spent with my little one & we usually bake something together so for FRD we’ll bake something spectacular to share!
I can’t wait!! I’ll be bringing my ‘Crunch Kids’ on board and we will create and share a picnic lunch in the beautiful Mackay winter-sun 🙂 🙂 🙂
Pledging to have a whole food day. Loads of ideas so not sure what we will be doing just yet. I will share pics for sure 🙂
My pledge might be slightly different. As a full time worker and mum of two I’m often home after the kids have eaten. BUT for FRD I pledge to be PREPARED! And have have some real food ready for dinner. It will likely be a slow cooker meal that the whole family, including my in-laws who look after the kids while we are at work, can enjoy whenever their dinner time may be.
Sign me up! The kids and I will be cooking some goodies in preparation for Grandpa’s 70th birthday on the weekend! Nothing better than a whole food party with the family. Will share on my page! 😀 xxxx
I’ll be having the family over for dinner, and I pledge to make all the dishes from scratch – even dips etc that I would usually buy. My almost 3 year old, loves to help me chop veggies, and use my Thermomix, so will get her involved too!
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Loving these pledges guys. Something as simple as making the dips yourself if you normally buy packet is such an awesome baby step in the direction. Yay. Let’s get to 100 + pledges! xx
We ( my 11 year old son and I ) pledge to cook a beautiful meal made from the heart using some fresh organic produce from our garden. Because it’s a special day, I’m thinking a fab 3 course meal to celebrate real food 🙂 looking forward to it!
I pledge to involve my children in cooking dinner on May 16.
Depending on my schedule I’d also like to prepare for our busy weekend and get some healthier alternative snacks cooked up and dinners organised.
We’re in! We love Jamie O and we love your Real Food Manifesto Alexx! I don’t know quite what we’ll be having yet – we’re heading off to Fraser Island the next day so it might be something delicious over an open fire as everything else will be packed….hmmm decisions decisions!
I work full time and not being prepared for lunch time leads my workmates and I to eat rubbish instead. I am thinking a real food picnic at work will be fun.
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Jacinta, this is simply awesome! Can’t wait to see 🙂
I am definitely going to make a dessert but which one….something new and healthy for all the family. Any suggestions?
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Hi Maureen – My upside down apple cake pudding is yummy if you like apple / caramel desserts. Otherwise, the pannacotta is delicious too, the sticky date pudding… Have a little hunt in the treats section under recipes, or grab my amazon download book 🙂
I pledge to cook with the kids AND upload a cooking video lesson at Jens paleo Kitchen! Yay im excited!! (dish to be decided haha)
I pledge to host a real food cooking school with friends and family (including little ones) creating and encouraging the cooking of nutrient rich foods. I’m a bit nervous, but hopefully ill pull off something I keep being asked to do!
I pledge to cook something yummy with Mr 3.5 & Miss 22 months. They love using Thermie so we will cook something with Thermie. I will also be cooking with my students at school using wholefoods 🙂
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Fabulous Fiona!
My Tribe and I are in.
Fantastic idea.
Thanks.
I pledge to make delicious whole foods this FRD.
My boys (3&2) love working with my ‘mix mix’ (aka Thermie) and love the treats even more!
Will be a fun and interesting day, can’t wait!!
Will definitely cook up some yummy food with my boys – maybe a fresh soup from homemade broth (I’ve finally started to make my own!), gf carrot cake or try one of the new recipes I’ve come across recently – coconut cupcakes or chickpea cookies 🙂
I always cook from scratch but will pledge to make something extra yummy on the 16th… or maybe try something that I have never cooked before.
I pledge to cook several whole food items on this day using my Thermie, I may even create a new recipe hmmm I’ll have to think about that!
Thanks for doing this, great idea.
Too many exciting ideas for this day!
I’ll be picking up my co-op order the day before, so my pantry will be well stocked!
Fridays at work are ‘fatty Friday’s’ so I’m thinking I’ll take in a homemade, healthy version of take away food.
I’ll be at work so will be making a few dishes with the children. We will be doing a week of lead up activities of shopping and good prep.
I’m in!! Real food rocks! Might do a Friday night pizza party?
Awesome!!! Love it Alexx and yep, I’m there with bells on xxxx
Love it! Great little project to work on with Mr 3, and Mr 1 will happily help with the eating part!
Well I’m even more IN after watching your video. Very inspiring and simple enough that we can all get involved. Thanks Alexx x
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yay kirri. thanks x
I’m going to do some meal prep and freezer meals to stop us getting take away on those ‘too hard’ nights
I pledge to cook something from scratch using all fresh ingredients this FRD 🙂 I normally do but I’ll dig out a new recipe and challenge myself got this special occasion 🙂
I plan to get messy in the kitchen with the kids, and have the results for dessert…. as I’m sure it will involve something sweet! Thanks 🙂
I am going to have a parents and children dinner party! Not sure of the menu yet but will get everyone involved young and old 🙂
I pledge to take time out to volunteer at my kids primary school to help the kids taking part in the live cooking lesson by Jamie Oliver. I’m really excited to be cooking with the kids at our own school!
We’re planning on an early dinner with some friends – picnic blankets inside & asking everyone to bring a few plates that the kiddies have helped prepare from scratch.
This is such a brilliant initiative 🙂
We are pledging to make our own home made tomato sauce from scratch and ditch the bought stuff that’s full of sugar. And we’ll make something with our toddler as well. Love your blog and fb page thanks!! X
We are pledging to make home made pizza’s at my son’s kindy on the day.. Can’t wait to get cooking !!!!
I pledge to
– make something at home with Miss 5 on the day
– to encourage the Pre-Primary teachers to get involved by giving them a list of simple activities to choose from such as :
+ Salad making workshop
+ Mini pizzas-from-scratch workshop
+ Bruschetta topping workshop
+ Asking the kids to prepare something at home to bring on the day for morning tea
+ Cutting up some fruit & veg with kids & doing a tasting – maybe of some different ones they haven’t tried before, then talking about them & how they grow & where they might come from
I also pledge to spread the word on my Facebook page to encourage everyone to get involved.
x
I pledge to get my children involved in the kitchen, to help prepare a dish made with all fresh, local ingredients to take to a dinner party we are all attending with 2 other families who are on the same journey as our family – cutting out sugar and instead, eating whole healthy foods.
I have also spoken to my son’s teacher today regarding food revolution day and told her where she can access the printable children’s activity sheets from the web page. She is keen to use these activities in the classroom on FRD. I will mention it to my daughter’s teacher also.
I pledge to celebrate Food Revolution Day by making sourdough bruschetta with starter, bread, butter made from scratch topped with tomato, red onion, basil, boccocini and balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs and salt and pepper. My little one is too young (15mths)to help make it but she will help me collect the tomatoes and herbs from the garden and I’ll take some pics of her demolishing it.
We are in I pledge my boys (5 & 6yrs) and I will make breakfast (eggs on toast), make their own packed lunches (will bake some Anzac slice day before or blueberry muffins) and they can do their sandwiches and cut their fruit. Then it will be homemade pizza or nachos for dinner can’t wait
I am pledging to host and cater for a morning tea! This is what I put on my FB status- “Food Revolution Day is next Friday (16th May). To celebrate, I’m inviting anyone who is free to come over for morning tea to sample some Real Treats! Food that is good, nourishing and healthy. (no white flour or sugar to be seen. ) Don’t hope you have good health in your twilight years! Ditch the processed stuff, choose real ingredients, and find that they are superbly delicious! Reply here, inbox me, text me… RSVP by Wednesday so I can prepare, I’d love to share the results of my lifestyle change with you. x o (Kids can come too.)” SO I’ll be making some lunchbox friendly real treats for the kids, and some baked goods for the grown-ups, just to show that it’s not that hard, in fact, it is really exciting! (Now to hope that I have some friends come over!)
Whoops. I thought it was this Friday! So I will be a week early. I have invited several neighbours around to share in a home-made feast in honour of Food Revolution day.
I pledge to learn a new trick and try a new recipe on a Food Revolution Day and write a nutrition blog post for Heal Nourish Thrive
I pledge to spend the morning making my first ever batch of nutritious food for my beautiful daughter whom will be starting solids for the first time on this day. She deserves this…..
I pledge to share some real food love by baking healthy treats for family and friends
I pledge to make everything from scratch with absolutely no packet/pre prepared food all day. I will make it a fun day in the kitchen for my kids and invite friends over for a ‘Food Revolution Day’ dinner to spread the word and hopefully inspire others 🙂
I pledge to be part of this awesome initiative but don’t know what to do yet…. Whatever that is, it’ll definitely be something innovative, fun and REAL! Can’t wait. Thanks for organising this Alexx! xoxo
I pledge to get involved for definite!! I have 3 children & try to make as much homemade/healthy/natural food as possible. Not sure what extra special thing to cook but I’ll think of something. It’s a great cause!!
I pledge to make a yummy and healthy lunch with my kids. I’ll be making it the next day, which I argue is pommie Food Revolution Day as I have plans already for the Friday but better late than never, right?
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I’d say that’s just fine!
I’m in. I’m working on the day but I’ll figure it out. I’ll either cook something for my family or prepare something for my colleagues or for little ones in kindy where my son goes. Or all of it 🙂 Let’s raise awareness. What a great idea!
Wow,
It’s really nice Idea to make a good bond with the child because when we are cooking a food with the help of your they also enjoy it and also learn many things about cooking.
…………………………………..
kids activities north vancouver
I pledge that everything we eat on May 16 will be home made, from real ingredients- nothing out of a box with ‘ingredients on it’. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks. Don’t know what dinner will be yet as we have to also content with a busy afternoon/night of basketball, but it will be good! I will post what I’m eating on my Facebook page!
I pledge to get the kids involved in each of their meals, and to try a new recipe…maybe a healthy snack that my daughter can make and take with her to kinder.
As we eat real whole foods everyday , I pledge to ensure my children are involved in all meal and snacks preparation on Friday. I think a fun meal to create involving rolling out some spelt pasta might be the go 🙂
I pledge to unlock the gate to the kitchen and let my 3 and 2 yr old daughters make a mess in the kitchen making lunch together!
Working hard to help my family eat cleaner and have less wastage.
Goal for FRD is to eat meals free of all chemicals and preservatives, cooked from scratch.
Having my kids cook with me means we are building a legacy.
I love cooking from scratch for my family everyday but this Friday I’m going to make some tomato sauce which I have never done before….I think my kids think mayo and chutney are the only condiments out there.
Whatever I cook, I PROMISE NO MORE PACKETS.
For FRD our family will make a wholesome dinner and share it around the family table.
Baking for friends.
I’m hoping to make colourful handmade pasta in the afternoon with my 4 year old. Then enjoy it as a family with some yummy vege filled sauce.
I’ll be making some home made fajitas for dinner with my own spice rub and home made tortillas. Yum!!
My son, 3, and I will be baking in the kitchen. Homemade sourdough rolls and/or bread! We’ve got the starter geared up and will prep tonight and bake tomorrow. We CAN’T wait.
Go the Food Revolution!!!
– Melissa (aka Whole Foods Babe)
Will be making a yummy Strawberry Bread and some other treats for Food Revolution !
I pledge to stop worrying about the inconvenience of my 3 year old helping me with dinner and start worrying about her not being able to cook when she’s older! Tomorrow, I’ll be getting her to help me cook roast lamb and veg for dinner. 🙂
I am going to attempt to make Sauerkraut as I keep ordering it from my local food co-op and it has not been available for ages. I am also going to make some healthy, yummy treats with my kids
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How exciting Lucy. Look forward to seeing the pics!
Sounds like just the impetus I need to get fermenting those vegies I have in the fridge. Got started early by making Lola Berry’s fig muffins and banana bread today, so the family have some thing great to start the Food Revolution day on tomorrow!
The girls and I have been shopping today for our food revolution dinner tomorrow night after school. Mexican all the way, made from scratch.
I’ll be cooking with the kids miss 4 and mr 2
The kids and I will so something savoury utilising some herbs and vegies from the garden. We are visiting friends too, so will take some whole food treats too 🙂
I only found out about this tonight but it’s such a good idea, count me in! Me and my four year olds will make little heart shaped pizzas for lunch as well as some scones. I know my older kids want to make lemonade so that’s a definite and hopefully we’ll make a few more yummy treats and dinner together. I’m really looking forward to this 🙂
I pledge to make dinner with my boys, age 2 and 3. I’m going to let them do a lot more of the prep and not worry about the mess 🙂
My two girls and I will be doing some cooking together in the kitchen, which is one of their favourite things to do. Plus some planting seeds in the garden another one of their favourite things to do 🙂
I pledge to make dinner with my gorgeous boys (5 and 3), we will even prepare something delish for dessert.
I always (well, mostly!) cook from scratch and involve Miss 3 as much as possible. I pledge to make a new recipe with Miss 3 – some clean eating cookies. I also pledge to share this right now on my fb page (I am a naturopath) so hopefully some others will get involved too.
I just put my latest 36 hr bone/collagen broth in teh fridge. I have to work a long dayshift in teh ICU tomorrow and some of my colleagues are freaked out by teh idea of my broth. I’m going to take some to work and take pics of the reactions of their first taste.
I pledge starting from tomorrow then each Friday’s to cook from scratch healthy real foods for my family. Once I get my quirky cooking Thermomix book I will get the kids to help pick and make meals together. Thanks
What a fabulous idea to spread the word on whole foods! Still not sure what I’ll cook tomorrow, inspiration will come though! I am on canteen duty at my sons’ school tomorrow, I pledge to share & inspire it to reduce the amount of highly processed items on the menu & suggest some simple whole foods. Soup, frittatas, savoury muffins, etc etc
I pledge to continue my journey of ensuring my family ways wholesome healthy food that is minimally processed.
My youngest son and I will be preparing food for my oldest son’s weekend full of birthday celebrations, including toppings for pizza we’ll cook outside in our wood oven with family and friends.
I will take part by teaching my kids real food!
I will be cooking homemade chicken noodle soup to go into the thermos for Saturday footy. Tired of buying plastic food every Saturday. Dinner will be something made in the thermie
“Do your best until you know better, then you do better…”
I am almost up to my 2 year real food anniversary 😉
I love food, I love cooking and I love knowing I am doing my best for my family! Food revolution day will be not unlike every other day for me since my real food revolution began, but I will shout it from the rooftops on May 16! I love your passion Alexx and I love seeing Jamie Oliver using hos celebrity & promoting real food 🙂 xxx
I pledge to do some activities with the kids at school (6 classes) and talk about where our food comes from. We are making veggie face plates and having a guess the vegetable competition with packets of seeds as prizes. Can’t wait. Happy Food Rev Day everyone! Thanks Alexx for organising and inspiring.
My kids and I will be cooking Singapore noodles with chicken & home grown Chinese vegetables. My sons class are making Rainbow Wraps tomorrow too! And today he made raspberry tarts from scratch for all 5 of us. Can’t wait!!
I pledge to make a wholesome family dinner instead of takeaway Fridays from now on!
I also endeavour to make daily changes to our low tox living for our autistic son. Every steps improves his behaviour so it’s worth every step.
We pledge to make a nutritious meal as a family for Friday night dinner, something yummy for dessert and pumpkin & sweet potato soup for my husband for lunch on Saturday 🙂
Cooking is great as you know what is actually in the food that you are eating. My three-year old daughter and I will probably make some pancakes or cook some eggs for breakfast tomorrow. Friday here is usually T-bone steaks for dinner. I pledge to get my daughter to help with cooking more and more so she learns about real foods, and cooking whole foods. This way, she’ll spontaneously not want to eat processed foods.
Cooking with my youngest who turns 3 tomorrow plus it’s also outr 11th anniversary for being in Australia! We will be cooking Italian bean soup, pumpkin dahl, baked pesto ricotta & birthday cake of some description.
Well, technically FRD has already begun but I think I’ll get some sleep before I contemplate letting my 1 and 2 year olds into the kitchen! I pledge to get them (let them be) more involved today, starting with a green smoothie for brekky. Who knows what will follow but we’re home all day so some deliciousness must come of it…
I will spend time in vege patch with 2yo… Then make some biccies with him in the kitchen!
I will be making food for my baby. I have relied too heavily on the pre packaged purées for her – so now is the best time to pledge to never buy another one again!
I’ve just heard of this! We will do lots of baking and cooking today at home with my 3 year old, and will cook up some yummy food for us and my 6 month old who has just started eating.
I’m not sure how I missed this one. What a great idea. I might take a deep breath and try some baking with my 2 year old twins. Wish me luck
I’m going to make home made carrot & walnut muffins to take to work for morning tea. No more store bought snakcs for us.
I pledge to involve miss 4, 3, & 1 in meal planning and preparation tomorrow (not that this is out of the ordinary for us!)
Time to get back into baking with my girls and spend a bit more time in the veggie patch for Food Revolution Day!
We have made a home made slice for mornin tea with friends. I am taking my children to our local fruit and veg man who sells his produce out the front of his farm each week. We will use his produce to make home made pizzas tonight. We make the dough and sauce from scratch and my 5 yo and 2.5yo love helping me. My 5yo and I watch Jamie Oliver on TV and love cooking his food. It warms my heart that my son is so aware of food ad how to make it at this age. Thanks Alexx for such a great page. I love reading what you write here and on fbk.
My kids small rural school in Country Vic have planned to watch Jamies Video from when he done a live broadcast for schools in england for Food Revolution Day. He taught our students how to make Rainbow Salad Wraps. Then we have a ‘different’ fruit tasting which included Pawpaw, Fresh Coconut, Honey Dew, Rockmelon & Fresh Pineapple. The kids absolutely loved the day. I intend on carrying on the cooking at home tonight making Macaroni & Cheese with my kids.