Real food. Real skills. Real affordable.

Learn how to cook delicious, nutritious meals for under $30 for 4 people — using the money, time, and tools you already have. No fancy tricks. Just simple food education that works.

The Humble Yum Yum began with one big question:
What if every New Zealander could cook a great meal with the money they already have?

That question launched a movement — starting in homes, reaching into classrooms, and spreading through communities across Aotearoa.

From my time co-hosting Eat Well For Less NZ, I saw the power of food education to transform lives. So I built The Humble Yum Yum — a practical, joyful programme that teaches real food skills, without judgement, and with big heart.

Here’s how far we’ve come:
 

1. Our First Pilot — Ran free cooking classes from Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae in South Auckland. We cooked with whānau, using pantry staples and seasonal produce, and proved that food education builds confidence, not just meals.

2. South Seas Healthcare — Partnered to deliver community cooking sessions and pop-up market demos, connecting families with fresh, local food and showing how to stretch a budget without sacrificing flavour or nutrition.

3. Schools Programme — Launched Humble Yum Yum into classrooms with hands-on sessions that teach tamariki how to cook, think critically about food, and carry those skills into their homes. We’re building a generation of confident, conscious cooks.

4. Life Education Trust + Health NZ — Teamed up to integrate Humble Yum Yum into wider well-being initiatives, bringing food skills to the heart of health education in schools and communities.

5. Policy & Advocacy — Worked with Health Coalition Aotearoa to push for systemic change, including advocating for a sugar tax and stronger food policies that support low-income families. Because education and policy must walk hand in hand.

We’re not just feeding people — we’re shifting mindsets. We’re tackling food insecurity at its root: knowledge.

Because when people know how to cook with what they have, everything changes.

And we’re just getting started.