Freya Coombes highlights how you can get involved in helping to prevent food waste, with focus on the Wellbeing Cafe at the University of Sheffield where surplus food is transformed into delicious vegan meals!
As of 2024, the United Kingdom wastes approximately 9.52 million tonnes of food every year, enough to feed upwards of 30 million people a year. Yet, 8.4 million people continue to live in food poverty in the UK. Most food waste, approximately 70%, is generated at the household level, but the problem really starts much earlier in the supply chain, with manufacturers accounting for around 16% of food waste. The severity of the food waste crisis highlights the urgent need for impactful initiatives to address and mitigate this issue.
Photo credit: Dinh Nguyen on Pixabay.
One such initiative is the Wellbeing Cafe at the University of Sheffield, set up in 2016 and based in the Students' Union. Each week, student volunteers collect surplus food from local supermarkets, like Sainsbury's, to create a vegan, pay-as-you-feel meal served on Monday evenings during term time, all of which would otherwise likely end up in landfills. This meal is for around eighty attendees, while any leftover items are saved for future meals or distributed for individuals to take home and use themselves, with this including non-vegan items. And, while most of the attendees are students, anyone is welcome to join!
Some of the variety of meals made at the cafe.
Photo credit: Wellbeing Cafe on Instagram.
Recent meals made by student volunteers include chillies, curries and jacket potatoes, and even a host of desserts made each week, such as carrot cake, sticky toffee pudding and rocky road. Moreover, the highly anticipated Christmas meal this year boasted a delightful feast featuring a hearty pie, crispy roast potatoes, perfectly roasted vegetables, creamy cauliflower cheese, and flavourful stuffing - all entirely vegan!
The social wellbeing aspect of the initiative is significant, with donations collected from attendees being given to several charities, including various food banks and Anthony Nolan, with approximately £100 raised each week! With a strong sense of community, most attendees become regulars or even future committee members.
Collaborations with other societies, such as the Tai Chi Society, are a regular feature, creating a strong sense of community and raising awareness about the importance of preventing food waste. These collaborations not only increase involvement but also highlight the shared responsibility of addressing this critical issue.
Items often available for collection that are not used in the meals.
Photo credit: Freya Coombes.
Although the Wellbeing Cafe is based in Sheffield, many other cities and universities have similar initiatives. Be sure to explore local options and get involved in the fight against food waste! Moreover, participating in programs like the Wellbeing Cafe is just one of many ways to make a difference. Here are some additional practical tips to help reduce food waste:
1) Plan your meals: Before buying any food, create a weekly meal plan and write a shopping list. This ensures you buy only what you need and avoids unnecessary purchases (saving you money too!)
2) Store your food properly: Learn how to store fruits, vegetables, and leftovers to extend their shelf life. For example, keep bananas and apples separate to prevent overripening, and freeze food that you won’t use immediately.
3) Get creative with leftovers: Transform leftover ingredients into new meals. For instance, vegetables can become a stir-fry or soup.
While these actions may seem small and insignificant on their own, collectively they can make a meaningful impact. By making mindful choices, you can significantly reduce food waste while saving money and contributing to a greener planet.
If you are interested in attending, joining the Wellbeing Cafe team, or learning more about what we do, we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out to us on Instagram (@wellbeingcafesheff). We welcome volunteers for both our kitchen and front-of-house teams, so don’t hesitate to get involved and make a difference!
About the author: Freya Coombes is a final year Politics and International Relations Student at the University of Sheffield. She is the Food and Drink Editor here at Wild Magazine, with her main interest in food security and sustainability.
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