National Kitchen Garden Awards return for third year

Early childhood services across Australia are being invited to showcase their kitchen gardens, with applications now open for the 2026 National Kitchen Garden Awards. The awards celebrate the role kitchen gardens play in connecting children with food, nature and their communities.

The National Kitchen Garden Awards have returned for a third year, recognising the creativity and impact of kitchen gardens in early childhood services and schools across Australia.

Open to all early childhood services and schools, the 2026 awards feature nine prize packs, each valued at close to $5,000. Applications close at midnight on Friday 7 August.

This year’s judging panel brings together expertise from across Australia’s food and sustainability sectors. Stephanie Alexander AO is joined by chef Kylie Kwong AM, sustainability educator Connie Cao and chef Darren Robertson.

The awards celebrate kitchen gardens that engage children in growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing fresh food, while strengthening connections with sustainability, healthy eating and local communities.

Kitchen gardens have become an important feature of many early childhood services, supporting children’s learning through hands-on experiences that encourage curiosity, collaboration and an understanding of where food comes from.

Last year’s awards highlighted a diverse range of projects from early childhood services and schools, recognising innovative approaches to food education, sustainability and community engagement.

Services interested in entering the 2026 awards can access application forms, supporting information, photographs and profiles of previous winners through the National Kitchen Garden Awards website.

Applications close at midnight on Friday 7 August.

Apply here.