Naschgarten

The Naschgarten teaches children about healthy eating habits and a sustainable approach to nature. Kindergarten and school children frequently visit the 5,000 m2 garden site in the 10th district all year round to grow their own fruit and vegetables and to cook healthy and seasonal dishes over a campfire. In this way, the children practice respectful interaction with the environment and learn to know and love healthy food. And, while the group work fosters a spirit of cooperation and self-efficacy, exercise and play are also always on the agenda.

One in three children in Austria is overweight or obese (ÖGK, 2020). The consequences for the individual and society are fatal. One cause is that many children no longer have a connection to food and its origin, and unhealthy and climate-damaging lifestyles prevail in our society. 

The Naschgarten – From Seed to Dish project addresses two essential challenges of our time – unhealthy lifestyles and climate change – combining gardening and cooking with the aim of teaching sustainable environmental and nutritional skills to children. We rely on the inherent openness of all children to learn and discover. 

The learning opportunity of the Naschgarten project is aimed at children between 3 and 14 years. Kindergarten groups and school classes use garden rakes and cooking spoons in the mornings, whereas in the afternoons the project welcome all those who feel like being outside and cooking over the campfire. 

Working in the garden and kitchen provides countless learning opportunities. Children get to know, taste, and enjoy different fruits, vegetables and herbs. Gardening enables children to understand the connections between the cultivation and consumption of food and thus acquire important consumer knowledge. 

The concept of the Naschgarten project follows the vision "Every child should have a healthy life in connection with nature". In order to implement this, it is a central concern to design offers and methods in such a way that they are universally transferable to open spaces in urban areas. 

Photo © Marina Hülssiep