Thousands of kids get a taste for real food at the Children's Food Festival

"I have never seen my 3-year-old try so many different foods with relish and enjoyment. The aim of the weekend was to make children more aware of food and instil interest and enjoyment. I feel this was achieved in bucket loads."  Claire, festival visitor

Give children the chance to experience real food, and they love it. The UK’s first Children’s Food Festival had the ambitious aim to attract 10,000 people – but the actual figure was between 15-20,000, despite the unpredictable weather. The festival was organised by the Northmoor Trust in association with the School Food Trust and took place over the weekend of 14 and 15 July on Abingdon Airfield in Oxfordshire. Festival Director, Eka Morgan said: "The festival surpassed all my expectations – it really did inspire children to cook and get them back in touch with where food comes from. Throughout the weekend children were pounding pesto, kneading dough, sniffing herbs – and above all, giggling."

The festival aimed to create a fun atmosphere in which children could learn about good food. Children went up on stage to help during demonstrations by the festival's Patrons Raymond Blanc and Sophie Grigson, as well as other celebrity chefs, including Antonio Carluccio, Prue Leith and Nora Sands from the TV series, Jamie's School Dinners. Imaginative hands-on activities were devised especially for the festival and there were tasters and colourful displays in ‘The Smell Tent’, ‘The Rowse Honey Tent’, ‘The Saclà Italian Tent’, ‘The Bread Tent’, ‘The Fruit and Veg Tent’ and many more.

There were also loads of chances for children to learn to cook. Children's food writer Amanda Grant ran the Belling Kids' Kitchen, with hourly cookery sessions throughout the festival. She said: "The delight on the children’s faces said it all ­ so many came up to me to say that they had never had the chance to cook like this before and they felt a real sense of achievement."

The Northmoor Trust has been inundated with emails from families asking for the event to be repeated. One visitor said, "It was a refreshing change to have a day out like this and not be bankrupt at the end of it!" Other comments included:

"I am a child who was at the festival and I just wanted to e-mail my thanks to you because of how great it was. My favourite thing was the fact that practically every stall had something interesting to do. I hope that the food festival becomes an established event because I would love to come again."

"My 9 and 7 year olds loved it. Both of them want to get a pasta maker so we can make more of our own pasta and grow basil so we can make pesto."

"My daughters are aged 5 and 7 and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The following day they were still full of enthusiasm and they helped me cook dinner."