Food waste cafes

[stephec]

The cafe at The Peoples History Museum in Manchester uses surplus food in a similar way

I had a really nice sausage sandwich there a few weeks back.

Uh oh.. I'm hungry now.

Supermarkets also encourage food waste by insisting on 'perfect' vegetables from their suppliers .

Some of the less aesthetically pleasing stuff goes for processing

But still a lot of perfectly edible food gets ploughed back in.

There are a few gleaning operations popping up now too, where people will go and collect 'unsalesble' crops from farmers fields, and then either distribute it through food banks, or community food kitchens.

That museum's only about eight miles down the road from me and I've still not been there.

And speaking of odd shaped veg, look at the carrots I found in Tesco a while back.

 

[mudsticks]

That museum's only about eight miles down the road from me and I've still not been there.

And speaking of odd shaped veg, look at the carrots I found in Tesco a while back.

View attachment 638148

It's often the way .

I'm sure there are very interesting places only eight miles from where, I live that I've never got around to visiting..

It's definitely worth a look if you're interested in social history and the struggle for workers rights..

As well as sausage sandwiches 👍🏼

Look away now though, if you're of a delicate disposition.. 😇

 

[Arrowfoot]

So why are we having cafes and eateries having surpluses in the first place on a daily basis and making PR out of it. I see ready to eat food aisles in supermarkets increasing and shelves are seldom empty and we know they have limited shelf life. These ready made food have high margins and waste is already factored in.

Frankly there should not be any surplus food with certain exceptional days in a month due to flood, train disruption when there are unexpected low customer attendance. I think it is first World problem. The display shelves must remain full for presentation reasons.

In essence we should aim for “no food surplus” campaign. Not create a problem and do PR stunts.

Sorry for being blunt.

 

[mudsticks]

So why are we having cafes and eateries having surpluses in the first place on a daily basis and making PR out of it. I see ready to eat food aisles in supermarkets increasing and shelves are seldom empty and we know they have limited shelf life. These ready made food have high margins and waste is already factored in.

Frankly there should not be any surplus food with certain exceptional days in a month due to flood, train disruption when there are unexpected low customer attendance. I think it is first World problem. The display shelves must remain full for presentation reasons.

In essence we should aim for “no food surplus” campaign. Not create a problem and do PR stunts.

Sorry for being blunt.

The cafes and other organisations making good use of surpluses - usually for good causes are not doing 'stunts' they're making use of food that would otherwise be thrown away.

The reasons for there being those surpluses are to do with the long supply chain models of getting food from producer to consumer, the extractive model, and involves many factors and actors along the way.

There are many issues with the present food system, causing environmental, and social and health problems

And many people and organisations are already working on trying to bring about change in all that.

Discussing those problems, and viable solutions here however would very quickly descend into what is framed as 'politics' on these boards.

But cafes and community groups putting what would otherwise be food waste to good use aren't pulling 'stunts'.

They're doing a good job, in less than ideal circumstances.

 

[Tenkaykev]

It's definitely worth a look if you're interested in social history and the struggle for workers rights..

Mrs Tenkaykev has just started a Masters degree in social history and will be heading up to Tyneside next month to do some research ( her grandmother was a geordie )
We visited Newcastle many years ago and I was surprised and delighted to find a pub that did only veggie / vegan meals, way ahead of the curve!

 

[annedonnelly]

Re the perfect fruit & veg...

Let me put my mechanical engineer's hat on first. There is a point to perfect and uniform fruit and veg in a way, especially for the packaged stuff. Take apples for instance, usually six to a packet. You want them to be more or less the same size, because they need to fill the packaging evenly so that they don't get knocked about. You also want each packet to be of a similar weight. Plus, you need to get so many packets into a case and so many identical cases onto a pallet etc, which makes it easier from a stock and logistics point of view. A lot of the packaging process is also automated, and so even sizes makes the process easier and faster.

A lot of the problem is down to the fact that the food is packaged. I may know that I won't eat six apples and don't want to buy six apples but if that's the only option on the shelf then I either buy six apples and potentially waste some or don't buy any at all. I am fortunate that I have a greengrocer relatively close where I can buy a single apple if I wish but not everyone has the time, energy or opportunity to go anywhere except the supermarket.

I know that transport, pricing, etc.makes it preferable for the supermarket if everything is packaged in regularly sized packets but it doesn't help reduce waste.

 

[mudsticks]

Mrs Tenkaykev has just started a Masters degree in social history and will be heading up to Tyneside next month to do some research ( her grandmother was a geordie )
We visited Newcastle many years ago and I was surprised and delighted to find a pub that did only veggie / vegan meals, way ahead of the curve!

Excellent I love that part of the world, and it sounds like an interesting bit of study .

But bear in mind the People's History Museum is in Manchester ..

A good excuse for another trip

 

[Tail End Charlie]

A few years ago I contributed to a crowdfunder to help fund a food waste cafe. They managed to open in Newcastle during the pandemic. I've manged to get in a couple of times. All the food on the menu is made from surplus stuff that was heading for landfill. They also have a stall outside with surplus food that you can pay whatever you think it's worth. Or if you can't afford to pay anything you're welcome to help yourself.

I think it's a great idea. I'd much rather support something like this than a huge chain where you get the same menu no matter where you are in the country.

I know there's a similar cafe in Chester-le-Street & I bet there are many others. Anyone else use one?

That sounds like a great initiative, I do hope there's one somewhere near me, preferably riding distance away.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Re the perfect fruit & veg...

Let me put my mechanical engineer's hat on first. There is a point to perfect and uniform fruit and veg in a way, especially for the packaged stuff. Take apples for instance, usually six to a packet. You want them to be more or less the same size, because they need to fill the packaging evenly so that they don't get knocked about. You also want each packet to be of a similar weight. Plus, you need to get so many packets into a case and so many identical cases onto a pallet etc, which makes it easier from a stock and logistics point of view. A lot of the packaging process is also automated, and so even sizes makes the process easier and faster.

Now, I'll take my engineer's hat off and put my cook's hat on. When it comes to cooking, all I really care about is the flavour. I'm a home cook, not a restaurateur - I don't have the need to turn out identical plates of food. So I don't care if one apple is a bit big or a bit small or somewhat lopsided if all I'm going to do is peel it, core it, cut it into chunks and then stick it in a crumble. Last week I bought an 800g bag of wonky apples, and there were a dozen apples in the bag. This week I bought a bag of wonky apples and there were only four in a bag. I'm planning apple fritters...

It's two sides of the same thing, and it does mess with my head in a way. I can see why it's done, but really, as people, we really should only be concerned about the quality of the produce. We are dealing with a natural product after all, and things do come in all sorts of shapes and sizes thanks to the vagaries of Mother Nature.

That's a great explanation, always good to see the issues from both sides.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

The cafe at The Peoples History Museum in Manchester uses surplus food in a similar way

Hadn't heard of that one, will have to have a look next time I'm near. Mind you Manchester is getting very pretentious, I note the address is "left bank" surprised they didn't go the whole hog and call it "rive gauche".

 

[swee'pea99]

It's often the way .

I'm sure there are very interesting places only eight miles from where, I live that I've never got around to visiting..

It's definitely worth a look if you're interested in social history and the struggle for workers rights..

As well as sausage sandwiches 👍🏼

Look away now though, if you're of a delicate disposition.. 😇

View attachment 638159

"When mummy carrot and daddy carrot love each other very much...."

 

[stephec]

It's often the way .

I'm sure there are very interesting places only eight miles from where, I live that I've never got around to visiting..

It's definitely worth a look if you're interested in social history and the struggle for workers rights..

As well as sausage sandwiches 👍🏼

Look away now though, if you're of a delicate disposition.. 😇

View attachment 638159

Good Lord!

Do you mind, we're British you know?

Esther Rantzen would love that carrot though. 😂

 

[Tenkaykev]

Excellent I love that part of the world, and it sounds like an interesting bit of study .

But bear in mind the People's History Museum is in Manchester ..

A good excuse for another trip

Indeed, We've also visited the one in Edinburgh, and on a recent trip to visit Mrs Tenkaykev's brother who lives in Southwell Nottinghamshire we visited the Workhouse there. The staff were very knowledgeable with some of them in period dress who explained aspects of the system.

 

[mudsticks]

Good Lord!

Do you mind, we're British you know?

Esther Rantzen would love that carrot though. 😂

Those are the ones fit for more genteel consumption..

 

[mudsticks]

Re the perfect fruit & veg...

Let me put my mechanical engineer's hat on first. There is a point to perfect and uniform fruit and veg in a way, especially for the packaged stuff. Take apples for instance, usually six to a packet. You want them to be more or less the same size, because they need to fill the packaging evenly so that they don't get knocked about. You also want each packet to be of a similar weight. Plus, you need to get so many packets into a case and so many identical cases onto a pallet etc, which makes it easier from a stock and logistics point of view. A lot of the packaging process is also automated, and so even sizes makes the process easier and faster.

Now, I'll take my engineer's hat off and put my cook's hat on. When it comes to cooking, all I really care about is the flavour. I'm a home cook, not a restaurateur - I don't have the need to turn out identical plates of food. So I don't care if one apple is a bit big or a bit small or somewhat lopsided if all I'm going to do is peel it, core it, cut it into chunks and then stick it in a crumble. Last week I bought an 800g bag of wonky apples, and there were a dozen apples in the bag. This week I bought a bag of wonky apples and there were only four in a bag. I'm planning apple fritters...

It's two sides of the same thing, and it does mess with my head in a way. I can see why it's done, but really, as people, we really should only be concerned about the quality of the produce. We are dealing with a natural product after all, and things do come in all sorts of shapes and sizes thanks to the vagaries of Mother Nature.

It's working out what is necessary and what isn't in terms of packaging too.

But long supply chains with multiple transfers are inevitably going to create more packaging.
And things like transport costs and storage and shelf space are a big factor for the multiples..

So food often ends up being grown for its ability to withstand all the transfers and storage, rather than being about taste or nutrition .

But still even in short transfers some packaging is required

If I cut salad leaves and don't wrap them in some way they're wilted by the afternoon, and no one wants them.

Then all the energy and resources that goes into growing and harvesting them is wasted.

There is some better packaging coming onto the market now, but not all of it is without its problems.