Blog
Cooking, Connecting and Saving Together with OzHarvest NEST
SCHS is excited to welcome the OzHarvest NEST program to our community, supporting locals to build healthy eating habits without stretching the budget.
OzHarvest NEST is a six week program designed to help participants feel more confident in the kitchen while learning how to prepare simple, nutritious and low cost meals. Each weekly session is hands on and interactive, combining practical cooking, fun activities and the chance to sit down and share a meal together in a welcoming and supportive environment.
The program follows the Australian Dietary Guidelines and encourages participants to set realistic and achievable goals around healthy eating. These goals are revisited each week, helping people make small changes that lead to long term improvements in their food habits and overall wellbeing.
Through our partnership with OzHarvest, SCHS aims to strengthen community resilience and ease cost of living pressures by improving access to nutritious food, practical cooking skills and social connection. It is about more than just food. It is about confidence, connection and supporting households to feel empowered.
The first group to take part in the program saw fantastic results. Participants shared positive feedback and spoke about how much they enjoyed the sessions. Many highlighted the value of learning new skills, accessing healthy food options and connecting with others in the community.
Best of all, the workshops are completely free and open to community members aged 18 and over. All food, equipment and educational resources are provided. At the final session, participants receive a certificate of completion and a take home toolkit that includes helpful fact sheets and the OzHarvest Everyday Cookbook. The cookbook is packed with easy, budget friendly and nutritious recipes, with each meal costing around $3 per serve.
“One mum was keen to receive the recipe book at the end of the program. Knowing it was full of healthy recipes, her plan was to use it for bulk cooking so she could provide nutritious meals for her child in daycare,” said Jess, Program and Grant Manager at Zoe Support.
If you are interested in joining a future OzHarvest NEST program, we would love to hear from you. Please contact SCHS Public Health Nutritionist, Kirsten Sapuppo, by calling SCHS on 50 225 444 or emailing
