Food for thought in Kendal

Introduce your little ones to the world of food and help them understand where their meals originate, whilst also having a great break in one of the country's most beautiful locations.

The ancient market town of Kendal, in the Southern Lake District, will be hosting the second Kendal Festival of Food between October 22 and 29 and will have all manner of opportunities for family involvement.

Events are being added by the day, but one thing not-to-miss is an October 26 'Journey From Field To Fork' event, staged in Kendal's historic market place. This will feature cooking demonstrations, farm animals for your children to get to know, grow your own advice and other opportunities to explore the food chain with your nippers, whilst sampling the best of Cumbria's local produce.

You might also wish to let the children watch an artisan baking demonstration at Kendal's Staff of Life (October 22 and 24) or book them in for a Children's Pizza Making event at Infusion. Here, chef Martin McMillan will show them how to roll, top, cook and eat a tasty pizza, providing them with both skills and fun!

The Festival involves lots of food sampling opportunities, special meal offers in restaurants, pubs, cafes and hotels and guesthouses and even hands-on activities such as sausage-making.

The trick is to book in early for special events, keep monitoring the website at kendalfestivaloffood.co.uk and source your accommodation as soon as possible. Visiting southlakeland.gov.uk/tourism can help with this. A Virgin Trains service from London can get you to Oxenholme in just over two hours!

Make a beeline for this Festival and you'll have lots of foodie fun and ensure that your children know where food originates and how it should taste! Food for thought, at least!