We all need to eat, and many of us also have responsibility for ensuring those around us are fed and healthy. This seemingly simple task can become a daily drain and frustration. What do you have time to cook? What can you afford to cook? What can you be bothered to cook? What, having made it, will everyone eat and enjoy? How has this meal impacted the planet?

There are so many food blogs out there, it barely seemed necessary to start another one. And yet, we think there is a gap to fill. We aim to provide recipes that can be easily prepared with little effort or technique, and which are moderately healthy and appealing to the whole family. We are conscious that a variety of dietary considerations and preferences may need to be accommodated, and aim to provide directions and suggestions for substitutions wherever possible. All recipes are tested in small kitchens with limited equipment.

We are not food professionals. We first met at a Baby Group and managed, despite the exhaustion of the early months of motherhood, to have a vaguely adult conversation that established we both share a love of food yet a frustration with the daily grind of making it. These days Charlotte works in publishing, Katie is a freelance writer, and we both balance childcare with a pretty full workload, professionally and at home. In light of this, we found we needed a new approach to cooking and grocery shopping. The more we talked to friends about this, the more we found that we were not alone. Whether you are caring for elderly relatives, cooking for housemates, or coping with, or catering to, physical or mental health concerns, getting food on the table is challenging. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut, feel completely overwhelmed, or sense that recipes or food pictures you see online are way beyond your ability to produce. Our inspiration for starting Democratic Kitchen was a desire to present a more down-to-earth and achievable take on home cooking.  

We welcome contributions and comments. What do you make all the time? What is your secret to home cooking? Reach out to us at democratickitchenblog@gmail.com or leave a message on the Contact Us page. We would love to feature your ideas and recipes. We hope you enjoy Democratic Kitchen and find recipes here that are enjoyable to eat and make your life that bit easier.