Ep 13 - Cooking

In this warm, hilarious, and thoughtful episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma dive into cooking at Forest School—why it matters, how it works, and what it reveals about play, connection, and community. They share practical experiences with wood-fired pizzas, vegan cakes, Dutch oven disasters, and collaborative apple pancakes, all cooked outdoors with children and families. The conversation ranges from the science of sensory eating to mindfulness, communal bonding, food as a leveller between adults and children, and how Forest School cooking reclaims lost skills and traditions. You'll hear about the magic of shared popcorn, the philosophy behind not weighing ingredients, and how even food "failures" become joyful, connective learning moments.⏱ Chapter Timings:00:00 – In the clay: kiln-building and local history01:20 – Favourite things we’ve cooked outdoors02:37 – The pizza journey: from toddler wraps to fermented dough04:52 – Dutch oven cake adventures and improvisational baking06:08 – Teaching chemical reactions through spontaneous cooking07:05 – Why food tastes better outside: mindfulness and sensory elevation09:30 – Flow-based pancake cooking with toddlers10:42 – Knife skills, trust, and adult tension11:42 – Simplicity as necessity and gift12:18 – Letting food taste like itself: the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall approach13:17 – Storytelling and cooking: Stone Soup and narrative connection13:46 – Reclaiming cooking as a communal experience14:43 – Children trying new foods and shocking their parents15:15 – Community vs network and the power of shared roles17:30 – Campfire popcorn as a social glue18:50 – Equal opinion on taste: food as a leveller19:42 – Donuts, joy, and playful indulgence for grown-ups20:40 – Parent-to-parent bonding and Forest School food culture21:50 – Shared disasters, laughter, and memories22:24 – Open kitchens and removing barriers to participation23:49 – Comfort with skill gaps and outdoor ed humility24:41 – Rediscovering forgotten food techniques25:38 – When home cooking fails but campfire cooking works26:35 – Cooking as a play experience, not just survival27:17 – Playing with the tools of adulthood28:41 – The luxury of exploratory fire cooking29:21 – Competence, visibility, and full process access29:38 – Outro🌲 Keywords: Forest School cooking, outdoor food, campfire cooking, communal meals, Dutch oven baking, child-led cooking, mindful eating outdoors, Forest School connection, shared food, early years development, play-based learning, food as education, parent-child bonding, food rituals, outdoor education UK🔖 Hashtags:#ForestSchool #CampfireCooking #OutdoorLearning #ChildLedLearning #ForestSchoolPodcast #PlayBasedLearning #DutchOvenBaking #VeganCampfire #MindfulEating #CommunityThroughFood #SensoryPlay #PopcornAndPlay #NatureBasedEducation #StoryAndSoup #InclusiveCooking🌐 More Episodes & Support:Explore more and find resources at www.theforestschoolpodcast.comSupport us at www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcastGet in touch via [email protected]