Belfast Seedlings: Supporting Families Through Community Cookery

Cooking Workshop for Toddlers & Parents at Hydebank Community Garden

On 18th March 2025, Hydebank Community Garden provided a welcoming setting for a cookery workshop designed for parents, guardians, and young children under the age of five. The session was made possible through the support of the National Lottery Community Fund and Nourish NI’s Good Food for All volunteer programme.

Led by our wonderful volunteer Nalina from Belfast Seedlings, with support from the fabulous Chef Lorna Mills of Tacacucina, the two-hour workshop offered participants an opportunity to develop their confidence in preparing healthy, affordable meals using some of the ingredients from the community garden.

The focus of the session was on nutrient-dense cooking, drawing on seasonal produce such as green onions and pea shoots harvested directly from the garden. These ingredients were incorporated into a flavourful sweetcorn and coconut dahl, prepared and enjoyed together in the garden’s polytunnel.

The event created space for practical cookery and participants were introduced to Ayurvedic perspectives on digestion and the benefits of slow, mindful cooking — ideas that resonated with many, despite the often fast-paced reality of feeding young children.

The atmosphere throughout was relaxed and inclusive. Many attendees expressed how satisfying and filling the meal had been and spoke positively about the knowledge they had gained.

Looking forward to what Nalina has planned next!