Our Mission
Bringing communities together to share healthy, sustainable and delicious porridge
We are a “grain-roots” movement! Change must be driven by the empowerment of the people. Porridge is power!
Objectives
1. Increase whOlegraIn cInsImptIOn
Increase the consumption of wholegrains, as defined and advocated for by the Whole Grain Initiative, excluding ultra‑processed grain-based products.
2. EncOUrage cOmmUnIty engagement
Bring local communities together through collaborative events.
3. ImprOve fOOD agency
Individual - Support individuals to access healthy meals, through “pay-as-you-can community events” and sharing easy porridge recipes.
Collective - Empower communities to collectively influence local food systems, (e.g. increasing availability of wholegrains).
4. SUppOrt agrIcUltUral bIODIversIty
Support diverse and thriving agricultural systems through the incorporation of a wide range of grain types into our porridge recipes, including different grain species and genetically diverse varieties.
After winning the Golden Spurtle world porridge making championships in 2023, we wanted to turn momentum into action. Whilst we’d shared our recipes on Instagram since 2020, we felt the time was right to bring porridge to the people. Our Porridge in the Park events aimed to do exactly that; partnering with community cafes and institutions, we began offering “pay as you can” porridge to local communities across London and Birmingham. Now, with our partnership with Artefact - Forridge@StirchleyCantina offers us a home for us to provide porridge to the people of Birmingham on a regular basis.
Why Porridge?
To understand what’s fuelling our obsession, take the time to consider the considerable merits of porridge:
DelIcIOUs Creamy, warmIng, nOUrIshIng; breakfast, lUnch Or DInner
Porridge is a dish of delicious versatility (don’t believe us - try it yourself! *hyperlink to video*). We’re convinced that porridge has been the victim of a severe case of identity theft, which associates an ancient dish passed down through the winding corridors of history - with the tasteless slop of Dickensian gruel, or the forgettable memories of microwaved childhood breakfasts. Our claim is simple: porridge is criminally underrated.
Healthy
Porridge is an easy way to consume a variety of healthy wholegrains, full of fibre and practically bursting with vitamins and minerals. Porridge isn’t fussy and can be made with practically any grain you like, from oats to quinoa to heritage wheat! And it doesn’t stop there! Through creative recipe design, porridge can also incorporate nuts, seeds, beans, fruit, vegetables (have you tried our Birmingham Balti porridge?), and everything else under the sun, supporting the consumption of a complete, well-rounded and wonderful diet!
AccessIble
Porridge is fundamentally easy to make. It requires fairly basic cooking skills (grain + water + heat = porridge), can be prepared in under half an hour, and - since wholegrains are relatively cheap, is genuinely affordable. Porridge is helps us to fight against real challenges of limited time and money.
VersatIle
Practically every grain has its own porridge version.
From Scottish oat porridge, to the Ghanian hausa koko made with millet ; from Kasha made with buckwheat native to Eastern Europe, Slavic nations & Russia, to Indonesian Bubur kacang hijau made with mung beans and coconut - porridge has many names; an inheritance with a million birthrights.
The ancestral convenience food - “porridge” is a tradition belonging to all and no one in particular.
Plus, porridge can be tailored to individual tastes - pairing with infinite possible combinations of savoury and sweet flavours. Porridge becomes an open point of access to personal taste and culinary creativity.
EnvIrOnmentally SUstaInable
Porridge is an extremely diverse dish that can have a positive environmental impact through promoting diverse grain consumption (supporting ), while limiting negative impacts on climate and nature where grains are sourced from .
What is “Food System Change”? Why does this system need to “change”?
Put simply, “food system” names the web of processes through which food travels from farms to our plates. Our global food system is particularly damaging for people and the planet. Food production is the leading cause of worldwide and contributes a third to total global carbon emissions, while unequal distribution and food waste mean billions of people don’t have enough nutritious food to survive.
The way we manage our food systems is an opportunity to reduce this damage, and make our food systems the nourishing force that they should be!
At Forridge, we want to support food system change for the better, by empowering communities to improve their local food systems though porridge! Porridge in the Park helps us reach a variety of communities by partnering with local independent cafes, while gives us a new opportunity for deep engagement with the people in and around Stirchley!