Background
Bags of Taste is a non-profit organisation delivering free, home-mentored cooking programmes for people who are struggling with food budgets or experiencing vulnerability. Operating across more than 21areas in the UK, Bags of Taste supports individuals and families to cook healthy, nutritious meals from scratch while keeping costs low and manageable.
In Ipswich, Bags of Taste is coordinated by Maria Belobradova, who has been running the programme locally for the past two years. The project supports people on low incomes, including single parents, families with children, people receiving benefits, individuals experiencing mental health challenges, pensioners, and those living in supported housing. The core aim is to improve confidence, wellbeing, and food security by changing how people think about cooking and budgeting for food.
How it Works
Bags of Taste delivers a structured, at home cooking programmethat combines practical food provision with ongoing mentoring and support. The projects run when enough participants sign up, with around ten people per session. Participants are grouped into small WhatsApp groups and supported by a mentor who guides them through the programme.
Each participant receives a delivery of all the ingredients needed to cook three simple, nutritious meals. Recipes are designed to cost less than £1 per portion and typically produce two to three servings. The core meals remain consistent and include pasta with fresh vegetables and tomato sauce, chana masala and chickpea and mushroom pilaf.Meat can be added by participants if they choose, but the programme focuses on affordable, flexible cooking.
Support is provided through a mix of video demonstrations and written, step-by-step instructions, ensuring the programme is accessible to different learning styles. Participants are guided through preparation techniques, portioning, and basic cooking skills. Recipes, photos, and videos are shared within the group, helping to build confidence and encourage peer support. Where digital access or connectivity is an issue, Bags of Taste adapts its approach, using phone calls, texts, or emails to ensure participants are not excluded. Once most of the group has completed one recipe, they progress to the next recipe.
Alongside ingredients, participants receive practical tools and resources, including measuring spoons, a local shopping guide, knife sharpening advice, and tips for picky eaters. Special ingredients are provided for people with dietary requirements, including those managing Type 2 diabetes.
Who the Project Supports
In Ipswich, Bags of Taste supports people living in IP1–IP4, with the potential to reach further if volunteer drivers are available. Most participants are referred or self-referred and are assessed through a short phone call that considers health needs, household circumstances, and dietary requirements. A scoring system ensures support is targeted to those most in need, with a minimum score required for acceptance onto the programme.
The project supports a wide range of people, including single parents, families with children, individuals experiencing mental health challenges, people on benefits, and older residents. Demand remains high, with a current waiting list of around 20 people.
Positives & Impact
Bags of Taste has seen strong engagement in Ipswich, with early programmes filling quickly and high levels of participation. The completion rate nationally sits at around 80%, with families particularly benefiting from the structure and ongoing support.
Participants report that the pre-measured ingredients and clear instructions make cooking feel manageable and calming, particularly for those experiencing depression or anxiety. Others have shared that the programmehelped them regain confidence in cooking after long periods of relying on ready meals or skipping meals altogether.
The programme supports participants to save approximately £10–£20 per week on food shopping by teaching budget-friendly cooking skills. For some, this financial relief has been significant. For others, the biggest impact has been improved well-being, routine, and social connection. In Ipswich, participants have formed friendships that continue beyond the programme through WhatsApp and Facebook groups, where recipes, cooking updates, and encouragement are shared.
Future Plans & Projects
Bags of Taste has recently received a grant from “Sustainable Community Food Fund’ from Ipswich and they have partnered with Selig Suffolk and they are now looking for further funds so they can deliver the programme in Ipswich for the next year.Continued demand shows a clear need for the service. Maria continues to monitor funding opportunities and maintain contact with past and potential participants through reminders and promotion, ensuring the project remains visible within the community.
Struggles & Challenges
While early courses were oversubscribed, sign-ups slowed as funding ended, making it difficult to run sessions consistently. Some funding has now been secured and they are now looking for more funds, so they have money in place for delivery over the next year.
Help & Support Needs
Ongoing funding is essential to cover ingredients, coordination time, and delivery costs. Public support through volunteering, referrals, and promotion can help ensure more people are able to access the programme and gain practical cooking and budgeting skills.
Key Learning from 2025
Over the past 12 months, Bags of Taste has seen the value of strong partnerships and community support. Collaboration with other organisations has helped increase reach, improve referrals, and provide wider signposting to services such as mental health support, housing advice, and children’s holiday activities. They have also been fortunate to have had great funding support from the Suffolk Community Foundation and East Suffolk Council in both Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft.
The project has also shown that cooking education, when delivered in a calm, structured, and supportive way, can have a powerful impact on mental wellbeing as well as household finances.
How have CAS helped?
Community Action Suffolk has supported Bags of Taste with funding applications and promotion. In January 2026, Bags of Taste working locally with Selig Suffolk were awarded £9,000 from the ‘Sustainable Community Food Fund’ to deliver three programmes supporting 90 vulnerable people and families in Ipswich. This funding will enable the delivery of the Bags of Taste Ipswich programmehelping participants learn how to cook nutritious meals from scratch on a budget, tailored to individual needs such as diabetes.
Looking ahead, Bags of Taste would welcome continued support from CAS, particularly with volunteer recruitment and future funding applications, to help and sustain the programme locally. They value support provided by CAS through training, advice and networking opportunities.
