'Cooking on a Budget' funded by the Lottery Community Fund 2024-2025
Did you know that 12% of the average home food budget is spent on processed meats?! Eating a plant-based diet with meals cooked from scratch is one of the top ways to cook on a budget!
To really maximise your budget you should be skilled at meal planning, shopping and storing food appropriately. In week 1 we will explore how to plan an interesting and nutritious weekly menu.
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Oct 2024-March 2025
Greens and Other Community Cookery School proudly ran a series of free, three weeks, plant-based cooking on a budget classes every Saturday at Chorlton High School. With generous support from The National Lottery Community Fund, we were able to offer these sessions to anyone interested in learning how to cook healthy, affordable meals using ingredients that are kind to both people and the planet.
Each week, participants came together in a welcoming and informal environment to explore delicious plant-based recipes. The focus was on using seasonal, low-cost ingredients and building confidence in the kitchen—whether that meant mastering a hearty lentil stew, baking homemade flatbreads, or transforming surplus vegetables into colourful, nourishing dishes. All ingredients were provided, and we made sure there was always something new to try, taste, and take home.
The sessions were about more than just food. They became a space for connection, laughter, and community. Over the course of the year, more than 150 people joined us, and many have told us how much they enjoyed making new friends while learning practical cooking skills. It was especially moving to see people from all walks of life come together around a shared table to cook and eat.
We also encouraged participants to bring their own ideas and family recipes to share, creating a sense of cultural exchange and mutual learning. From chickpea curries to herby dumplings, the variety of meals we cooked together reflected the richness of our local community. The atmosphere was always lively, with music, stories, and lots of teamwork.
We’re incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for making this project possible. As we look ahead, we hope to continue offering free cooking classes and growing this network of plant-based home cooks. If you’d like to join us, volunteer, or support our work, please get in touch—we’d love to welcome you into the kitchen.