Food waste costs the planet and the pocket. Approximately 36% of domestic waste is food based. We know that a lack of education is the main cause of most wasted food. This project will highlight and educate adults and young people about issues with food waste, how they can save money and reduce our impact on the planet. We'll be helping organizations to start their own food waste powered community meals and get cooking.
Food waste is a massive issue in the UK, valued at an estimated 17 billion each year, with restaurants throwing away 900,000 tonnes of food annually. 8.4 million children and older people have been plunged into poverty, as the cost of living in Britain goes up. This means that some people can't eat healthy, nutritious food, or can't access the food they would like to eat. Many people in the UK eat what they can afford, and cheaper filling food is mostly unhealthy.
Our project will educate young adults and children living on the breadline about eating healthy on a budget, learning tips and tricks for saving money and staying healthy. They'll learn how to waste less food and improve their bank balances. Utilising food waste we'll help groups and friends to develop communal eating projects, and develop our existing ones. Food will be at the center of this project, used as a tool to bring people together and start a dialogue around food insecurity and poverty
Our projects work with up to 250 each week providing them with a source of free healthy nutritious food, mainly sourced from surplus, which enables many families to eat for the rest of the week. With more funding we can provide these adults with cooking lessons enabling families to eat well for a lifetime. We educate up to 50 teenagers every year equipping them skills to shop economically, sustainably and become healthier adults. With more funding we will reach 150 this year.