Cooking together is one of the oldest team-building formats there is – and one of the most effective. Not because of the nutrition, but because of what happens when people make something together and then eat it together.
What happens while cooking that no workshop game can replace?
A team that chops ingredients, tastes, and makes mistakes together communicates differently than in a meeting room. Roles get distributed informally – who can handle a knife, who takes over the stove, who moderates the chaos – and this surfaces sides of colleagues you wouldn't have seen in ten years of shared office work. The result sits on the plate, and the shared meal is the moment when conversations happen that have no agenda.
How does the format work internally?
Team cooking doesn't need a professional kitchen or catering effort. A well-equipped office kitchen and a simple recipe are enough for 6 to 10 people. Those who want external guidance can book a chef; those who want to run it internally simply appoint two volunteers as head chefs. The result – a shared meal the team made itself – has a value no delivery service can replicate. You will find more measures and how they fit in the field of action Nutrition.
How do you put the measure in place?
- 1Book a cooking school or a nutrition coach with a suitable kitchen for 8–15 people and agree on a healthy, seasonal menu.
- 2Ask anonymously in advance about allergies, intolerances and diets (vegetarian/vegan).
- 3Clarify the budget, the time slot (e.g. late afternoon) and whether the session counts as working time.
- 4Set a backup date so that as many people from the team as possible can take part.
- 5Send an inviting announcement with the menu, place, time and the team-building character of the evening.
- 6Ask for a binding confirmation for the shopping plan and point out that comfortable clothing is advisable.
- 7Stress that no cooking skills are needed so that everyone feels welcome.
- 8Make sure all ingredients and stations are ready and that mixed teams work together.
- 9Have the coach give nutrition tips along the way (e.g. sugar, portion sizes, quick everyday recipes).
- 10End the evening with a shared meal and share the recipes digitally so they can be cooked again at home.
- 11Collect short feedback on the atmosphere, recipes and nutrition tips.
- 12Check whether there is interest in a quarterly repeat or further nutrition offers.
- 13Record successful recipes and insights and plan the next session for another team.
What do you need for it?
- Effort
- half a day
- Cost
- under €100
- Duration
- 1 evening
- Setup
- 120 min
- ✓ Experience
- ✓ Team building
- ✓ Healthy nutrition
Tax and health insurance: what is possible
Employer health benefits can be tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — if they are provided in addition to the salary already owed and are either certified (§ 20 SGB V) or implemented within the company's health promotion process. Gym memberships and corporate fitness are not covered. For ZPP-certified courses (e.g. from Upfit), German statutory health insurers can reimburse all or part of the course fee to their insured members — then only the amount exceeding that reimbursement is tax-free. Projects within the company can be funded under § 20b SGB V, with no entitlement. Only your tax adviser can confirm the tax exemption.
How it works in EasyWHP
This Best Practice in EasyWHP: adopt it, adapt it, measure the effect
Once adopted, the measure is ready in EasyWHP — with instructions, an invitation and surveys before and after. You adapt what fits your company and see at the end what it achieved.
Screenshots with demo data, no real people.
Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
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Contributes to
Measure the impact with
Action field
Nutrition →A fitting occasion
- Seasonal Cooking Workshop: Cooking Healthy with Spring Vegetables
Related Best Practices
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