Berliner Tafel teaches healthy eating from an early age in Germany

The KIMBAexpress is a decommissioned passenger carriage from Deutsche Bahn, the German railway company, which has been converted into an educational kitchen. Inside, in addition to teaching equipment, there is also a small laboratory where experiments with foodstuffs are carried out. In front of the KIMBAexpress, there are herb beds where the children and young people grow and later harvest parsley, watercress, chives and the like. 

This project, which is part of the KIMBA program from Berliner Tafel e.V., invites children and young people to cook and eat together, learning to prepare their own dishes and developing a conscious and sustainable approach to food. The setting is so unique that they are unlikely to forget the lessons. Learning to eat healthily in this setting is such a different experience that it impacts the way they eat. 

For some of these children, this completely new experience leaves a lasting impression that causes them to incorporate what they have learned into their eating habits. In addition, learning how to prepare healthy, vegetarian food in just a few steps encourages them to become more independent and strengthens their ability to consciously handle food. 

The KIMBA cooking classes are open to all children and young people, regardless of their parents’ financial situation, and schools are invited to participate.