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From trash to tables: Recycling food UK style

Projects aim to prevent food waste and help feed the hungry in ‘pay-as-you-feel’ volunteer schemes.

Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Kemi Akinola runs the Brixton People's Kitchen, and finds discarded ingredients at a fruit and vegetable market [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
By Silvia Boarini
Published On 2 Sep 2015

London, United Kingdom – A number of innovative projects are tackling a growing global concern: food waste.

The Brixton People’s Kitchen pop-up events and Save The Date cafe in east London are both part of a new worldwide trend of “pay-as-you-feel” meals prepared from food destined for landfills.

Instead of relying on the “use by” or “best before” dates, volunteers use common sense to cook improvised meals. The food is donated from local greengrocers and restaurants, or is picked up from waste piles at large fruit-and-vegetable markets.

The pay-as-you-feel concept means the intercepted food is accessible to all. Customers can get food by paying what they choose to, or in exchange for volunteering. 

Ruth McCabe founded the cafe Save the Date with her partner James Smart in August 2014.

“It’s completely illogical to waste food,” McCabe said. “By cooking it and serving it, we prove that it wasn’t waste in the first place.” 

The Food and Agriculture Organization says worldwide human beings waste about one-third of all the food produced – that’s 1.3 billion tonnes each year. 

Follow Silvia Boarini on Twitter: @Silviaboa

Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Akinola moves among the mountains of boxes of what is often perfectly good food that has been thrown out. 'It is often hard to understand why something gets thrown away. It may have just a small mark, but it's still perfectly safe to eat.' [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
BPK visits the market once a week. 'Whatever we find, we cook. The menu is always a surprise.' [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
'We aim to be as green as possible,' Akinola explained after loading the intercepted vegetables onto her bicycle cart. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
BPK's pop-up events often happen in public parks, such as Myatt's Fields Park in Camberwell, south London. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Luigi was cycling in the area and stopped for an impromptu meal. 'I never heard about a project like this. The food tastes good. Maybe next week I'll come and help.' [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
BPK organises another weekly 'pay-as-you-feel' lunch in Tooting, south London. Volunteers collect food from local food stores who are eager to cut their waste. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Rohit Shah, a local greengrocer, said he loves the initiative. 'Look, I can't charge my customers for a damaged piece of fruit or vegetable, but I know it's good. So if someone can eat it, all the better.' [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
The Tooting event attracts a variety of volunteers through corporate and local government schemes. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
The event was held in a United Reform Church. 'We are keen to support and sustain our local community,' said the vicar, Helen. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
'Coming here definitely makes me think twice about throwing anything out,' said Dami, one of the volunteers. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
'I like the food a lot here. My granddad brought me,' said Kavisha, 8. 'I know about not wasting food. They talked to us in school about it.' [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Save the Date cafe in Dalston, east London, is part of The Real Junk Food Project network, which started in Leeds in 2013. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
Ruth McCabe and James Smart founded Save the Date a year ago. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]
Silvia Boarini LONDON FOOD WASTE/ DO NOT USE/ RESTRICTED
'Volunteering here has really challenged the way I think about food and waste. This is a chance to do something about it,' said Erika. [Silvia Boarini/Al Jazeera]