Reverse Advent Calendar 2025: Give Back This Christmas

It’s back! Our Reverse Advent Calendar returns for the 7th year in a row, flipping tradition on its head to help give back instead of receive.
Once your box is sealed and ready, you can send it directly to The Felix Project at no cost. Just use this link to set up your free return:

https://our-returns.dpd.co.uk/MINDFUL_CHEF

First time joining in? You’re in the right place! Keep reading to find out how simple it is to get started.

How to take part:

1. Pop a non-perishable food item into your Mindful Chef box (or another cardboard box) daily between 1st-20th December.

2. Generate your free shipping label using this link: https://our-returns.dpd.co.uk/MINDFUL_CHEF. Want to donate multiple boxes? Select the total quantity from the “Number of packages” dropdown.

3. Take the box to your closest DPD drop off point. Visit www.dpd.co.uk/pickuplocator to find your nearest location.

4. We’ll add the food items for the final 4 days.

20 days to make a difference

Every December we partner with The Felix Project to help some of the 7.5 million people in the UK facing food poverty. For 20 days over the festive period, from 1st – 20th December, you can turn your empty Mindful Chef box into an advent calendar and make someone’s Christmas brighter. Simply pop one non–perishable food item in daily, then return it free of charge using a DPD drop-off point. We make up the final four days. All your generous donations are distributed to those in need via our charity partner The Felix Project, London’s largest food distribution charity. “The year round support we receive from Mindful Chef is incredible and the reverse advent makes such a difference, giving our recipients much-needed long-life ambient food at a crucial time of the year.” Richard, Head of Food Supply at The Felix Project.

Where does the food go?

The Felix Project is London’s largest food redistribution charity, and we’re so proud to partner with them on this initiative. Since 2016, they have been rescuing high quality surplus food, that cannot be sold and would otherwise go to waste and distributing it to community organisations helping to feed people in need across the capital.Each week they deliver to over 1,000 small charities, such as food banks, pantries, homeless shelters and primary schools.We know that there is more than enough food to go around, yet in the UK, approximately 9 million tonnes of food is wasted every year. We want to make sure less food goes to waste and instead goes to those who need it, which is we’re so pleased to have teamed up with The Felix Project again this Christmas for our Reverse Advent Calendar. #ReverseAdventCalendar.Please help us ensure we can work together to feed more people this festive season. #ReverseAdventCalendar.

Help us spread the word!

This Christmas is going to hit people harder than ever, so the more people who join the Reverse Advent Calendar, the more we can make a difference.

Mention #ReverseAdventCalendar and tag @mindfulchefuk.