ABOUT US

At Bags of Taste, we believe that everyone deserves to eat healthy and affordable food.

Poor diet impacts everything

But for many people, it’s a massive challenge to eat well. 

This might be due to the cost of food, living near lots of takeaway shops or lack of availability, time or confidence.

If you have a disability or long term illness, this makes it more difficult. 

This needs to change because as a country, we’re getting sicker. (25% of early deaths are due to what we eat). 

WHY PEOPLE NEED SUPPORT NOW

People in poverty suffer from a nutritional inequality that impacts when they die; how long they can expect to live without a major health condition, their mental health, finances and family life.

Improving your diet alone can increase your life expectancy by 10 years. 

The Bags of Taste programme empowers people to make long lasting changes to their diets.

SO HOW DOES BAGS OF TASTE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 

What Bags of Taste does is very different to many of the other community food activities as it takes place in people’s homes.

We reach people who struggle to attend face to face cooking lessons. 

• We deliver a free bag of ingredients, recipes and equipment
• Then together with a personal and friendly mentor, people cook in small groups over Whats app 
• The 2 week programme is much more than cooking – it covers budgeting, shopping, independence skills and resilience
• Local shopping guides mean people can continue to source buy low cost food which benefits the local community
• Long term support groups mean people are supported for life 

IMPACT

The Bags of Taste programme is life changing for families 

• Not only do they feel more confident and motivated to cook but long term….
• They have better diets, better health and can save a minimum of £20 a week so £1040 a year at the end
• People are also eating less processed food and ready meals and more fruit and vegetables
• They feel less isolated and more connected to their community
• Children get the opportunity to get involve in cooking new things and it opens up conversations about food

HOW WE WILL SPEND THE MONEY

As its 10th birthday, we need to raise £10k so 100 families can take part in our programme. 

We have waiting lists in many areas and there is an urgent need to support people now.

£10k will pay for 100 families to do the programme – this means they’ll change their diets for good.

£10 will pay for a 'Bags of Taste parcel' for 1 person containing fresh ingredients, basic ingredients and recipes for a week's worth of meals

£30 will pay for 3 'Bags of Taste parcels 

£100 will pay for 1 person to take part in the Bags of Taste Mentored Home Cooking Programme 

WHO WE WORK WITH

We specialise in supporting those with extremely challenging lives who have tried unsuccessfully to improve their diets and are mainly eating takeaways and ultra-processed food or ready meals. 72% of the people we work with experience poor mental health and 55% have disabilities or long term medical conditions. They also face the additional challenge of cost, which worsens their situation, forming part of the food poverty cycle.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Over the last 10 years, we’ve helped 14,000 people change their diets for good. We’ve won awards and know and understand the many challenges that people face to enjoy a healthy, affordable diet. 

Our first project started in Hackney but today we operate across 22 locations – in many areas of London and also Sheffield, Birmingham, Thanet, Hastings, Ipswich and Newcastle.

Everyone knows that food banks are not for the long term.

The Bags of Taste programme is not only sustainable but gives people choice and dignity.