National Kitchen Garden Awards 2025: Enter now!

The National Kitchen Garden Awards are now open for submissions and all primary schools, secondary schools and early childhood services across Australia can enter – you do not need to be a member of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program to apply.

This year, Clarence Slockee from ABC Gardening Australia joins returning judges, Stephanie Alexander, food writer Alice Zaslavsky and Thanh ‘Fruit Nerd’ Truong. Although judging is not an easy task, it’s definitely one that offers much joy.

“Reading the entries from last year’s awards was so heart-warming and enjoyable!” Alice remembers. “I can’t wait to do it all again and be part of this very special occasion. Looking forward to celebrating all the schools and services in due course!”

Award categories

There are nine categories schools and services can enter: 

Beyond the School Gate

Show examples of how your school’s kitchen or garden has had ripple effects beyond your school gates.

Down to Earth

Show how everyone gets down-to-earth, getting your hands dirty understanding and shaping the soils that grow and nurture your kitchen garden.

First Nations Foods

Everyone at the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program would love to see how schools are incorporating First Nations Food into their learning. For example, do you have a bush tucker garden?

Flower Power

Share the colour, joy and vibrancy your kitchen garden brings to your local environment. How does your kitchen garden attract buzzing pollinators, boost local biodiversity or do you offer beautiful bouquets for your shared feasts?

Recipe of the Imagination

Get your creative juices flowing! In this category share original recipe creations from educators and their class.

Sustainable Solutions

Share some of the ways you’ve learned about sustainable practices in the kitchen or garden. Have you initiated composting, recycling, reusing, or reducing?

The Art of Kitchen Gardening

The garden and fresh ingredients often inspire storytelling and artistic pursuits. Show how you’re encouraging creativity with your class through the kitchen garden.

Water Wise Design

Has your school or early childhood service embraced smart, sustainable garden  design to make the most of every drop? This award celebrates innovative approaches to water-efficient gardening and resourceful thinking.

Wellbeing Champions

We know getting hands-on in the kitchen and garden is great for our mental health, fitness and wellbeing. Show how your activities have improved the wellbeing of your students.

Each award offers a prize pack valued at over $4000 in value, including:

• Each award offers a prize pack worth over $4000 in value, including:
• A $1000 grant to advance kitchen and garden infrastructure.
• A kitchen garden product pack, including a WaterUps bundle with an Oasis 1680 wicking bed, organic solutions from Seasol, 12-month subscription to ABC Organic Gardener, and more.
• A two-year Kitchen Garden Program membership.

Enter now and share the gardening fun!

Clarence, who is an advocate of the creativity and fun that gardening can offer, can’t wait to see what the many amazing school gardens and students share with them all.

“‘You are what you eat!’ has always been one of my favourite sayings and with kitchen gardens you eat what you are growing,” Clarence says. “I am really looking forward to seeing the entrants in this years’ National Kitchen Garden Awards with some amazing school gardens and student gardeners.”

Awards submissions close 9.30am, August 15.

You’ll find more details about the different categories and how to enter here.

ABC Organic Gardener magazine is a proud media partner of the 2025 National Kitchen Garden Awards.