From the very first FoodCycle community meal, sustainability has been one of the key ingredients in our operation. We were founded by a student who couldn’t believe how much fresh produce from his local market was heading for landfill. Along with his friends, they bought together students, community spaces and local people to share a cooked meal, made from said surplus.
Fast forward 16 years and sustainability is still deeply rooted in our work.
Every week, across England and Wales, teams of volunteers transform surplus food into delicious, nutritious, vegetarian meals for the community to share. It’s not just about what’s on the plate. FoodCycle community meals offer a chance to meet new people, chat, make friends and feel part of the local community, reducing social isolation, food poverty, promoting inclusion and encouraging healthier, more sustainable eating habits.
Fighting Food Waste
In the UK, over 10.7 millions tonnes of food is wasted every year (WRAP), but working with surplus food charities, food banks, supermarkets, grocers and independent retailers we’re putting some of this food to good use. In 2024 we saved 320 tonnes of food from going to waste which would have equated to 200,719 kg of CO2 .
Serving Planet-Friendly Plates
Serving vegetarian meals has always been an important factor for us, not only because it makes the meals more inclusive from a religious and cultural perspective but also because it aligns with our aims of promoting sustainable diets and inspiring change.
Creating Long-Term Behavioural Change
FoodCycle’s community meals have a long-term impact for our guests, inspiring people to think about eating in a way that is better for the planet, while sustaining their own health and wellbeing. But by sharing a meal with others and being given the opportunity to try something new we’ve seen a huge change in our guest’s eating habits with 70% of those that eat with us reporting that they have positively changed their eating habits and two-thirds of our guests are now thinking about eating in a way that is better for the planet.
FoodCycle community meals help break down some of the many barriers preventing people from making healthier food choices such as accessibility, affordability and social culture.
The Future
With ‘strengthen our sustainability’ a core pillar of our next three-year strategy, we continue to look at how we can reduce our environmental impact through the promotion of sustainable diets and improved operational practices.
To find out more about FoodCycle visit www.foodcycle.org.uk
