On Saturday we set off early to go the Children's Food Festival near Didcot, and having never been before we were all excited about going. Great for children and great for adults! It's what's known as a celebration of food and cooking
I can't rate it highly enough and what a shame it's only on once a year. It cost £10 per car and then all subsequent cooking activities etc were free, so what good value? The idea once you were in was to register your children for the various cooking activities and these varied from exotic Mexican delights, to simple jacket potatoes and pasta making. The ones hosted by celebrity chefs had to be booked in advance but it was all really well organised.
Toby and Jack started off the day making homemade beefburgers. Me being rather OCD about germs etc needn't have worried as there were lots of portable sinks, alcohol wipes and sprays around! Anyway, back to burgers - they were both given a 'pile' of mince to make whatever shape they wanted, they could then add herbs, breadcrumbs etc. Once they had been made, they were taken away and cooked whilst we wandered to the next area where they made Eton Mess! then they did some crafty bits and bobs! (This was all in 1 tent).
Once that round of activities were done, we went to the cookery tent where they then were booked in for their 'structured' activity - jacket potato with cheese. They could then decorate it with chives, spring onions, tomatoes etc. Fortunately my two aren't fussy but such a great way of getting those who are fussy to try new things. This demo was done by the children's cookery author Annabel Karmel. Once they had done that, they then could decorate a couple of fairy cakes each. Exhibit below!
After that activity it was on to the Waitrose tent to make a salad and dressing, off to gingerbread men making, spinach bread stick making, hedgehog bread! and so much more.
What we also did was to make paper seed plant pots which was great fun and we had a wonderful variety of seeds to pick -rocket, lettuce, radish, pumpkin, peas, runner beans. We ended up coming home with half a dozen eco plant pots and over a dozen packets of seeds along with a lovely selection of recipes. Again, this was all included in the £10 entry price.
There was so much to see and do, we could have gone back today.....but sometimes trying to recapture such a good day isn't always a good thing! We'll just look forward to going again next year.
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10 comments:
It looks like a fabby day out, its a pity it is so far away from us. I must admit to being a bit like you about germs though ~ my husband just can't understand it and thinks I'm mad! :O)
There is lots of research that suggests being too worried about germs and bleaching and constantly cleaning things is not good either and has been linked with allergies in children, which can manifest as asthma and eczema. This is known as the hygiene hypothesis. When I was a child my mother was really into these theories and let my sister and I muck about in the mud and neither of us have ever had any allergies or allergic diseases.
I do agree on one level about germs, bleaching agents etc and I am not adverse to my boys getting muddy at all. Fortunately they don't suffer from allergies. However, where food preparation is concerned especially when handling raw meat, I don't think you can be too careful in ensuring their hands are washed. Infact that was a requirement before the children did any cooking.
sounds like a great day out - I've never heard of anything like that before
That looks like a great day out x
Just found your blog via your lovely website... such goodies....will call again!
hey sarah, how are you ,just checking . You don't seem to have been around for a while !!
Looks like a great day out.
Hope all is well with you, not seen you around blogland much.
Take care
MBBx
What a fantastic day out & how much fun for the children?!! We don't have anything like that nearby to us.
Hope you are well, and that the school holidays are going well.
Love from Lydia xx
hey sarah, how are you doin? you've been gone ages, hope all is well x x noelle
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