13 charity fundraising ideas for people who love food

Want to give a bit of time to a good cause but need some inspiration? Check out some charity fundraising ideas for fun ways to raise money and indulge your love of food.

1. SPANA World Tea Party

Join SPANA for our World Tea Party event! Hold a traditional British tea party, a Moroccan mint tea party, an Ethiopian coffee morning, an Indian chai tea party or another world-themed tea party to support SPANA’s work. Get your free fundraising pack and recipe cards.

2. Host a “school dinner” night

Host a dinner party with a side of nostalgia by taking inspiration from the school dinners of your childhood. Use your favourite dishes from your school days as a starting point for your own twist on traditional dishes and ask everyone to donate at the door.

3. Dining out for a good cause

A fundraising curry night Contact local restaurants and ask them to donate 10% of profits for one night or weekend to a good cause. In exchange, promote the restaurant to your friends and network and drum up some business on the restaurant’s behalf!

Or host a fundraiser at your local restaurant – like SPANA supporter Judith Best who hosts regular curry nights, raising over £1,300!

4. Hold a cheese and wine party

What’s more fun than an evening with friends, good wine, and delicious cheeses? Host a tasting at your house and get some recommendations on good pairings.

Or if you fancy a night out, see if a local wine shop would be willing to host and ask for donations at the door.

5. Sell baked goods at an event

Snacks are always welcome during events like a school sports day. Set up a table and sell cakes and other treats.

6. BBQ party and cook-off

Get some drinks, some burgers and enjoy the glorious British weather with a community-wide BBQ! Ask your guests to make a donation and get to know your neighbours a bit better. You can even hold a BBQ cook-off and award prizes for the best dishes.

7. Eating Contests

Take inspiration from Norfolk butcher Ali Dent who holds a charity burger eating contest each year challenging participants to eat 16 quarter pounders in one go! Get creative with your challenge with fun foods like ice cream, pizza, or spicy food and invite friends and family to cheer on their favourite participant.

8. Chocolate party

Set up a chocolate party in your community! Get cafes, pastry shops, and local chefs to donate their most chocolatey creations in exchange for free advertising. Sell tickets at the door and hold a celebration of this delicious treat for a good cause.

9. Indulge your pet

There’s no reason that dogs can’t get in to the fundraising action – pamper your pooch by selling homemade dog treats. You can sell these at bigger bake sales or crafts fairs for the discerning canine connoisseurs and their owners. They’re cheap and easy to make and your pet will thank you for it!

10. Hold a bring-a-dish party

Ask guests to bring a dish and sell recipes or charge admission. It’s a great excuse to enjoy a relaxed evening while enjoying the culinary skills of your guests.

11. Ask your local cooking school to get in on the action

Speak to a cooking school about holding a class with all proceeds going to charity. It’s a great way for them to get more people interested in their courses and an opportunity to try out some new culinary skills in the name of a good cause.

12. Guess the jellybeans/sweets

Grab a clear jar and fill it with sweets, and let people guess how many are in the jar for a small donation. Closest guess gets to take home the goodies. You can even do this at any of the above events as a little special extra!

13. Cake walk

A lot of fun for the whole family to participate in, cake walks are always a crowd favourite at a village fete or as a stand-alone event! Ask participants to donate a cake and sell tickets for your event. Everyone walks/skips/dances around a circle marked with numbered boxes until the music stops and a number is called out. The winner gets a delicious cake to share with friends. Get the full details of how to set one up.

For more fundraising ideas, read our 10 charity fundraising ideas for work.

If you’ve been inspired to hold a fundraising event for SPANA, we’ve got plenty of useful materials to help you make it a success!