Kickback Kitchen has expanded its Milton Keynes operation to four community kitchens, with local employers being encouraged to introduce the ready-meal service to their staff.
The community food initiative is operating from YMCA South Midlands’ HomeGround Cafe in Central Milton Keynes, The Old Bath House in Wolverton, Woughton Community Council’s Coffee Hall Meeting Place and Glebe Farm School.
Kickback Kitchen prepares ready-to-reheat meals locally, with people collecting a meal each week before contributing what they can towards its cost afterwards.
Its Milton Keynes operation has grown from an earlier pilot at Glebe Farm Academy and the Old Bath House. The project is being delivered with local organisations and has received support from environmental charity Hubbub and Sustainable MK.
Rather than asking businesses to fund or administer the scheme, Kickback Kitchen wants Milton Keynes employers to make their staff aware of the service and encourage those interested to register with a convenient kitchen.
The model is designed to make use of existing community kitchens and surplus ingredients where available. Meals are cooked in batches, with numbers managed to reduce unnecessary food production.
People collecting meals are subsequently sent a link through which they can make a contribution. Kickback Kitchen says its suggested contribution for an adult meal is broadly comparable with the price of a ready meal from Aldi or Lidl, although the amount varies between kitchens according to ingredients and the dish being prepared.
Sarah Jane Smyth, Social Enterprise Manager at YMCA South Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be part of Kickback Kitchen. It’s another great opportunity to connect with the community which delivers a nutritious weekly meal giving our visitors the night off.”
HomeGround is part of YMCA South Midlands’ Milton Keynes campus. The cafe operates as one of the charity’s social enterprises, generating income while also providing employment and training opportunities.
Kickback Kitchen also aims to create paid work for chefs and project coordinators rather than building its operating model around unpaid labour. Woughton Community Council papers published during the development of the scheme included provision for paid project management, co-ordination and chef roles.
The project forms part of wider work around Milton Keynes’ community fridge network. Sustainable MK, established in 2025, is working with Kickback Kitchens CIC and Hubbub on the four-kitchen programme.
Hel Innes, from Sustainable MK, said: “We’re delighted to see Kickback Kitchen launch in Milton Keynes as a result of the strong partnerships across our community fridge network. By turning surplus food into nutritious meals, Kickback Kitchen will help reduce food waste, lower food costs for local people, and empower residents to make positive choices that benefit themselves, their neighbours, and the environment.”
Businesses interested in promoting Kickback Kitchen to their employees can contact the organisation at [email protected].
Pictured: The HomeGround team at YMCA South Midlands in Milton Keynes
