Tag: waste

Zero spechi: 10 great chefs against food waste – Italian Cuisine

Fighting food waste to combat climate change. Too Good To Go, together with Carlo Cracco and the great Chefs, for the second International Day against Food Waste

We know that tackling food waste is one of the main solutions against climate change. Precisely on this topic the September 29 the second will be celebrated International Day of Awareness on Food Waste and Loss. For this occasion Too Good To Go, the app against food waste, joins great Chefs such as Carlo Cracco And Cristina Bowerman, and offers various activities that focus attention on a greater awareness of consumers, who can make a difference through their small daily actions.

How Too Good To Go works

The Too Good To Go app allows restaurateurs and merchants to offer them every day Magic Box, “Bag” with a surprise selection of fresh products and dishes, which remained unsold at the end of the day and which cannot be put back on sale the next day. Users can book and pay for the Magic Box in the app and then collect it at the point of sale at the specified time slot. Exclusively on the occasion of the September 29, the Chefs who have joined the Too Good To Go campaign, will make available on the app "Chef Box", which will contain theirs anti-waste recipe dedicated to this day of awareness against waste.

The commitment of the chefs

Food is not thrown away: this must become an affirmation that goes from haute cuisine to the stove at home. Project Drawdown, has in fact identified that the production and consumption of food, and therefore even more so its waste, which involves a further use of resources, are in fact among the major causes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. How do we make this awareness our own? Here they come into play ten great chefs of Italian cuisine, which exceptionally on 29 September will make available "Chef Box ", containing a real anti-waste plate, accompanied by the recipe and the CO2e count emitted by the various foods. The target? raise consumer awareness onimpact that even small actions, just like that of "saving" and not wasting a dish, they may have for our planet.

The appointments between Rome and Milan

As well as at the restaurant of Carlo Cracco, in Milan le Chef Box will be available thanks to the commitment against food waste by Claudio Sadler (Sadler restaurant), Eugenio Boer (Bu restaurant: r) e Marco Ambrosino (28 Places).
In Rome it will instead be possible to book the anti-waste Magic Boxes of Cristina Bowerman (Glass Hostaria) e Niko Romito And Gaia Giordano (Bar and Kitchen Area), while in Cernobbio it will be active Davide Caranchini (Ristorante Materia) and in Catania Alessandro Ingiulla (Sapio Restaurant). Also Philippe Léveillé (Ristorante Miramonti l'altra) e Caterina Ceraudo (Ristorante Dattilo) will participate by providing their recipe against waste.

For a better future

It is precisely in the kitchens of the house that 53% of food waste is produced in Europe (EU Fusions, 2016): in a survey promoted by Too Good To Go and YouGov, the majority (77%) of the same interviewees indicate that consumers are the first to take responsibility and take action to combat waste.
Through a ironic video the chef Chef Carlo Cracco points out that "The true value of food", it is quantifiable in its environmental impact.

Other initiatives

Too Good To Go will undertake to carry out a series of initiatives in the city of Milan thanks to a billboard campaign within the city and the creation of a mural, created with a special purifying paint by the emerging artist Elena Zecchin, on an area made available by Rob de Matt. The local will also be recipient of food donations, which will be reused in projects in favor of the population groups most in difficulty. The mural, of 22 square meters, will eliminate the smog of approx 4.7 petrol cars € 6 per day, as would the equivalent area of a forest. Furthermore, in the first month of life, the mural will also absorb 951.2 g of CO2 from the atmosphere.

world day against food waste – Italian Cuisine

Celebrate hers eighth edition there World Day Against Food Waste, an annual opportunity to take stock of a fundamental issue in terms of poverty and environmental protection. Two simple facts are enough to suggest some reflection: we consume only 65% of the food produced and the food sector is responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. That is: we do not eat everything we produce and this (over) production has a significant impact on the health of the planet.

We waste too much and this in stark contrast to the growing poverty, which has been increasing in the last year. There economic crisis, which has affected us directly, has forced many groups of consumers to save more. This dramatic situation showed only one positive side: the long one lockdown and new lifestyles due to the pandemic have stimulated greater awareness that has led us, among other things, to reduce waste. In fact in the 2020 every Italian citizen threw in the trash on average 27 kg of food, 3.6 kg less than in 2019.

Anti-waste initiatives

There are many projects of non-profit associations and companies committed to sustainability, which have been working for years to help reduce waste and distribute food goods fairly.

Among these is the Food Bank, the Foundation that every day since 1989 recovers what is not consumed in collective canteens and large-scale distribution, redistributing it to the loading bodies. Over time, the association has seen requests for food aid grow by an average of about 40%, while the people who have turned to the loading agencies have gone from 1.5 million to approximately 2.2 million. An alarming fact that deserves reflection.

At Banco Alimentare he joins Cuki Save the Food, the social responsibility project that helps to combat food waste, favoring the recovery of food in two ways. Siticibo, is one of these, namely the recovery of food in canteens and in collective catering places, donating them every day to those who need it. The other is the Save Bag, "the borsetts" useful for taking home what you don't enjoy at the restaurant. The initiative, this year, for the her 10th year of business managed to save 17 million portions of food from waste, sensitizing more and more all Italians to the value of food and the continuous fight against waste.

Also Barilla certainly it can be said to have done its part. On the occasion of this special and important World Day, the Foundation has put the data on food waste generated in our country into a system. "We still waste too much but we are on the right path", says the multinational. This means that the conditions are there, but the path is still long. ORevery Italian generates about 65kg of food waste per year, where is it 53% of waste is attributable to domestic consumption: vegetables, fruit and cereals. To say it is the Food Sustainability Index, or the index created by the Foundation Barilla in partnership with The Economist Intelligence Unit. The Index shows that, compared to the European average of 58kg per year, Italians still generate a rather high amount of food waste. Foundation Barilla, however, he believes that the good practices introduced during thelockdown have initiated an improvement and estimates that maintaining them over time can lead to a significant reduction in waste in our country in a systemic way.

Desparon the other hand, it committed itself to avoiding donations in 2020 a waste of 1,500 tons of food, thus generating a positive impact also on the reduction of waste to be disposed of. The action to combat waste has also made it possible not to lose over 4.9 million kg of CO2 used in the production of redistributed food. The anti-waste action of Despar consortium it is part of a collaboration framework with Federdistribuzione which every year, in synergy with non-profit organizations, provides for the redistribution of food surpluses.

Committed to the front are also Slow Food Youth Network Italy is Zero Waste Network who join forces and launch the awareness campaign Zero waste, which starting from today 1st February will present in-depth contents and will tell about realities that every day deal with transforming food waste from a criticality to a resource. The campaign is on air from 1 to 21 February and is being developed on the social channels of SFYN Italy (Instagram and Facebook) and the Zero Waste Network (Instagram and Facebook). The campaign will involve projects that recover and distribute food to people in conditions of fragility, such as ReFoodgees-Roma SalvaCibo in Rome and Avanzi Popolo in Bari. Realities that save food that is usually discarded because it does not comply with aesthetic standards, such as Bella Dentro in Milan o Too Good To Go, the ad hoc app against food waste that saves unsold food in shops and restaurants. The campaign will end with theZero Waste Aperitif, an obviously online event in which the realities involved in the campaign will participate. A virtual meeting place to create a moment of exchange between the participants and all the guests.

Interesting what Nature has done Yes, which having the reputation of largest company in the organic sector launched a June 2020, with Legambiente the SoPerNatura campaign, making available to customers imperfect products (fruit, vegetables), a little larger or a little smaller or simply with an unusual shape. But they are good all the same because they contain the same nutritional properties as any other biodynamic and organic product and even at a reduced price. Contrary to what is commonly done by consumers or to discard, throw away everything that does not comply with the standards of beauty and uniformity that the market has imposed. Summing up, on the occasion of this day, the results have been seen despite the difficult period: in fact to date 5-6% of the fruit and vegetables sold in stores (about 650 tons) belongs to SoForNature. By recovering and marketing what is defined as "defective", "different", we have gone from about 20% of product discarded on the fields to 4% ”.

Daily strategies

From World Day Against Food Waste a message of awareness arrives that also suggests new rhythms and virtuous habits that allow, with a modest commitment, to contribute to the reduction of waste. Here are some rules.

1- Make a list of foods to buy before going out for shopping, to avoid taking home unnecessary goods.

2- Plan meals to optimize household resources.

3- Arrange the foods in the fridge or pantry in order of expiry, highlighting the “oldest” ones to be used first.

4- Put the leftovers in the refrigerator and reuse them, transforming them into new dishes.

How not to waste vegetables and fruit – Italian Cuisine

On February 5, Italy celebrates the Food Waste Prevention Day. In our small way we can all make a difference, starting with not wasting anything of what we put on the table

Celebrated for the first time in 2014, the Day aims to raise awareness and empower all consumers. The commitment to development sustainable and waste prevention concerns everyone's behavior. Every day, each of us can commit to reducing waste as much as possible, by implementing small measures that can make a difference.
Inspired by the "You can't waste this" campaign launched by Babaco Market – a subscription delivery service that brings fruit and vegetables home – and Lisa Casali, environmental scientist and well-known influencer, here is a list of 10 ingredients with anti- waste. And for those who want to know more, a site full of advice: Reduce Waste!

Pineapple

Its sweet pulp is a panacea for our body, but don't forget the peel, the heart and the tuft.
With the peel it is possible to prepare a purifying infusion. Wash the pineapple well, cut the peel and put it to boil in about 2 liters of water for 30 minutes. Then strain and, to taste, add a teaspoon of honey. In summer you can also serve this drink cold to enjoy a truly refreshing moment.
The heart is also edible and you can coarsely grate it in your salads. And the tuft? If you are passionate about gardening, you can make a nice little plant: separate it from the fruit by rotating it with your hands and immerse it in a glass jar with water. After a short time, roots will have formed and you can plant it.

Orange

How many times have you thrown away the zest after preparing a juice? There are many recipes to avoid wasting it: the first, and the most famous, is that of candied orange peel. But not only! You can use orange peel as an alternative or added to lemon in the custard, you will smell what a scent!
Finally, you can create a powder: remove the white parts, let them dry and pass the peels in the mixer until they become very fine.
And the leaves? Wash them and infuse them in a saucepan of water for 10 minutes and here's an herbal tea to drink on the coldest afternoons of the year.

Banana

Its peel is also edible and can be recycled to make really unexpected dishes, like a cake.
Heat 100 ml of milk with a cinnamon stick, let it cool and remove the stick. Cut the ends of 3 banana peels, wash them well and blend them with the milk. Take 2 eggs, separate the whites and whisk them until stiff. Meanwhile, melt 50 grams of butter and let it cool. Beat the egg yolks with 200 g of sugar and then add the butter and the milk blended with the skins. Mix everything together and add 150 g of flour, 30 g of potato starch and a sachet of baking powder. Finally, add the egg whites. Pour the mixture into a greased pan and cook in a preheated oven at 180 ° for about 45/50 minutes.

Broccoli

As Lisa Casali suggests, beyond the peaks there is more. The stems of this vegetable, an inexhaustible source of antioxidants, are edible and can be enhanced in the preparation of various recipes. By peeling it in the toughest parts you can make a carpaccio. Cut it into thin slices with the help of a mandolin and serve with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, flakes of aged cheese, sprouts and walnuts.
Alternatively, the stems can be cut into regular cubes and blanched. They will become very tender and you can use them to season a pasta dish or as a side dish.

Carrots

If you have decided to use a vegetable peeler to peel them, use the peels to prepare delicious chips that will also appeal to children. A quick and easy recipe: place the scraps in a bowl and season with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix for a moment with your hands and place in a pan lined with parchment paper, making sure that the skins do not overlap. Season with rosemary and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes.
With the leaves, however, you can make a broth by boiling them in 2 liters of water for 40 minutes.

Cauliflower

We usually eliminate the leaves and the core of this winter vegetable, underestimating the beneficial and protective properties they have for our body. Lisa Casali comes to our rescue again, proposing a truly sustainable and tasty recipe. Cut the core and leaves of the cauliflower into cubes and cook them together with the pasta. Once drained, sauté everything in a pan with garlic, oil and chilli.

Onion

Onions are never lacking in cooking and can really make a difference in a dish. The Babaco Market and Lisa Casali campaign "You can't waste this" suggests how to avoid wasting the peel, an element that preserves all the taste and aroma of this vegetable. Keep it aside, let it dry and use it in the preparation of your recipes. In fact, if combined with the preparations, it will release all its properties and can be filtered or squeezed. Alternatively, you can blend the dried skins and obtain a powder to use as a spice for flavored main courses of meat, sauces and vegetables.

Fennel

Using 100% fennel is really a good habit to reduce waste, waste and the environmental impact. And it's also very easy. Set the tufts aside and use them as an aromatic herb to flavor first courses, fish-based main courses or salads.

Lemon

The peel and albedo (the white part of the fruit) are also suitable for many preparations. By grating the peel you can give a twist to all your recipes, from simple and timeless spaghetti with tomato to flavored shortcrust pastry. Alternatively, the zest, together with some basil leaves, can be the protagonist in a refreshing and hydrating flavored water.
With albedo, on the other hand, you can prepare a creamy and fresh sauce. Blend it together with the lemon pulp, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, parsley and capers. It will be the white part of the citrus that will give the desired consistency.

Peas

Certain small daily gestures may seem insignificant, like retrieving a pod. But it is day after day that we can help reduce waste. The pods of the peas can be sautéed in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and the spices you like best. Alternatively, they can be blanched and then blended with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to create a zero-waste pesto.

Pumpkin

Our peasant tradition teaches us that in the kitchen waste is not thrown away, but recycled. Baked pumpkin with peel is a must for autumn, but here are some other suggestions.
The skins are excellent for cooking in a soup or adding to jams to give an extra touch of flavor and creaminess.
It is forbidden to throw away the seeds. Wash and dry them thoroughly and place them in a baking dish with oil, salt and paprika. Cook them for 50 minutes at 150 °. If you prefer cooking in a pan, season them with a little oil and let them toast over medium-low heat for an hour.