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From FOOD Cent$ to nom!
At Foodbank WA, our purpose reaches well beyond providing meals during tough times, we’re here to support Western Australians in leading healthier lives.
Since opening our first warehouse in 1994, we’ve distributed hundreds of tonnes of food each month to local charities.
But one key question has always guided us: “How can we help people make healthy choices that last?”
It’s the classic saying ‘give a person a fish, and you feed them for a day; teach them to fish, and you feed them for life’. This thinking led to a big shift, laying the groundwork for Foodbank WA’s nutrition education journey.
FOOD Cent$: where it all began
Foodbank WA’s formal nutrition education journey began with FOOD Cent$, a practical, hands-on program designed to help people eat well on a limited budget. Originally developed in the early 1990s and taken on by Foodbank WA in the late 1990s, FOOD Cent$ focused on real world skills – planning meals, shopping wisely, cooking simple food and understanding nutrition basics.
Importantly, FOOD Cent$ was never just about information. It was grounded in behaviour change principles and designed to be accessible, respectful and empowering for people experiencing food stress. This approach strongly aligned with Foodbank WA’s connection to communities who are often hardest to reach, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
Growing food literacy across the lifespan
The success of FOOD Cent$ led to the expansion of Foodbank WA’s nutrition education into schools, communities and families.
Over time, this work evolved into a range of Food Sensations® programs, including:
- Food Sensations for Schools, delivering engaging, curriculum aligned food education in classrooms across WA.
- Food Sensations for Adults, supporting people on low incomes to plan, shop for and cook healthy meals.
- Food Sensations for Parents, recognising the critical role parents play in shaping children’s eating behaviours.
A strong prevention focus underpinned all of these programs, alongside a commitment to equity, inclusion and practical skill building.
The introduction of Superhero Foods® HQ added another important layer, making nutrition education fun and culturally inclusive for children, and embedding storytelling and Aboriginal perspectives into learning.
From many programs to one identity: nom!
Together, these initiatives laid the groundwork for Foodbank WA’s vision of Healthy Food for All. Today, they live on through nom!, our contemporary nutrition education brand that brings together decades of experience under one accessible, welcoming banner.
The nom! suite now delivers tailored programs for adults, parents, schools, youth and people with disability, across metropolitan, regional and remote Western Australia. While the branding has evolved, the heart of the work remains the same: building confidence, connection and lifelong healthy habits through food.
Practical learning that lasts
Over the years, Foodbank WA’s nutrition teams have delivered thousands of sessions across the state. Time and again, participants tell us they leave with more than recipes – they leave with confidence, practical skills and a belief that healthy eating is achievable for them.
A much-loved part of this legacy is our collection of recipe booklets, developed by public health nutritionists who understand the realities of tight budgets, busy lives and limited access to fresh food. Now in its thirteenth edition, the nom! Recipes #3 booklet continues this tradition, showing that healthy, enjoyable meals can be simple, affordable and achievable for everyone.
Carrying the mission forward
Today, nom! carries forward more than 20 years of nutrition education at Foodbank WA. Our programs are designed for people of all ages, backgrounds and locations, reflecting the diversity of Western Australia and the changing pressures faced by households.
As food insecurity and cost-of-living pressures continue to rise, the importance of practical food and nutrition skills has never been greater. Foodbank WA remains committed to delivering evidence based, inclusive education through nom!, supporting families, educators and communities to build healthier futures.
Together, we are continuing a legacy one meal, one skill, one confident cook at a time.
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