Healthy Communities

Welcome to Community Kitchens!

Community Kitchens in the Barwon area are back again for 2024!

We are currently seeking new Community Kitchen faciliatator volunteers for multiple sites around the region. Please see our volunteer application form to apply.

To learn more and discuss joining or setting up a Community Kitchen please get in touch with out coordinator with an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please also see the Community Kitchen website to find out more at https://communitykitchens.org.au

What is a Community Kitchen?

A Community Kitchen is a group of people who meet each week to make new friends, have fun and enjoy good food. Each group decides how their kitchen will run. They choose when they meet and what food they will cook. There are around 15 Community Kitchens in the Barwon area.

Community Kitchens can run where there is a kitchen that groups can use for free such as:

• Schools
• Neighbourhood houses
• Community health services
• Churches
• Service clubs
• Private businesses

Why join a Community Kitchen?

Community Kitchens are a great way to learn about healthy food and how to cook. They are also a fun way to meet people and an affordable way to enjoy a meal.

What happens at a Community Kitchen

Community Kitchen members get involved in all stages of the kitchen; menu planning, shopping,
cooking, and eating. Members work as a team to make sure the kitchen runs smoothly.

A trained Community Kitchen Facilitator supports each group.

The group also decide if they will eat the food together or take the food home to enjoy later.

How can you get involved in a Community Kitchen

To learn more about Community Kitchens or starting a new one, email The Healthy Communities Team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You can also see updates about Community Kitchens on the Facebook pages of these local neighbourhood houses:

• Cloverdale Community Centre
• Grovedale Neighbourhood House
• Rosewall Neighbourhood Centre
• Vines Road Community Centre
• Norlane Community Centre

We are looking for more Community Kitchen Facilitators in 2024!

The Community Kitchen facilitator's role is to support the group to get involved and work as a team. A facilitator can be a group member, volunteer or an employed worker. Over time, group members may like to step up into the facilitator role. Visit our volunteer application form to apply. 

Free Training by Barwon Health for facilitators

Barwon Health offers free training to become a Community Kitchen Facilitator.

There are five online training topics:

• Nutrition
• Food Safety
• Kitchen Safety
• Budgeting
• Group Facilitation.

Click here for the online training.

Community Kitchens need more volunteer facilitators in different areas. To find out more please see Volunteering Geelong.

Celebrating our Community Kitchen volunteers 

Have you heard about the Community Kitchen eNewsletter?

Our What's Cooking? eNewsletter gives you important dates, events, seasonal food, cooking tips, recipes and more. If you would like to get this newsletter please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What's Cooking? eNewsletter archive:

2024

• Autum - Eating healthier over Easter, eating orange coloured foods
• Winter - Interview with a Community Kitchen volunteer, Cost of Living and your mental health  

2023

• Autumn - Spotlight on salt and Benefits of Grains and Legumes  
• Winter - Nutrient spotlight: Fat, features on a Bellarine and a Norlane community kitchen
• Spring - Spotlight on sugar, how food affects your mood and mental health and how to reduce food waste
• Summer - Nutrient spotlight: Fibre and eating well over the festival season 

2022

• Winter - Eating habits for good mood, healthy eating on a budget and food allergies  
• Spring - Eastern Hub Community Kitchen, cooking the whole vegetable and healthy choices whilst eating out
• Summer - Community Kitchen end of year celebration, CALD Community Kitchen, food safety tips, reducing sugary drinks