Food Lover, Waste Hater

This project aimed to inform the participants of the impacts of food waste on ourselves and our environment, and to identify the causes of food waste and ways to minimise it. I have delivered this project to a wide range of groups, including youth group, women’s group and mixed group in the language of Arabic and English. So far, I can say that it has been very well received by the communities, and positive results have been achieved. 

 

The project consisted of two to three workshop sessions. The first session was an introduction to the environmental and financial impacts of food waste. The second one was an interactive workshop to identify the causes of food waste and find out ways to minimise it with the participants. The last one was a hands-on cooking session, where creative dishes made from leftover ingredients were experimented. It was expected that with the information, knowledge, tips and easy actions provided in the workshops, participants would develop a deeper understanding of the issue, and take actions to save money, eat healthier and reduce unnecessary food waste. 

 

 

When running the projects, I was amazed by the participants’ enthusiasm. I suppose, if there is anything universal about human beings, it must be our love and passion towards food. It was safe to say that the participants have thoroughly enjoyed this food journey. 

 

After the workshops, participants formed a new perspective towards food, food waste, and the relationship between them and our environment. They developed new skills, such as meal planning, smart shopping and safe food storage. But more importantly, they were inspired and encouraged. They are now keen to create new, delicious and nutritious dishes from leftover ingredients. 

 

One participant told me, that she has always been a good cook, but the constant cooking had taken the joy out of it. After this project however, she was inspired to start creating new dishes with seasonal or leftover ingredients for her family, keeping mind the importance of healthy eating and food waste reduction. 

 

Love Food Hate Waste project was considered a great success in many aspects, including environment, finance and health. It is a topic that is so close to our hearts and daily lives that makes it interesting and appealing to the communities. I hope that in the coming future, more groups can join us in this program, as I am sure it will bring tremendous fun and benefits to the communities. 

 

By Mariette Mikhael, Arabic Environmental Educator