The Sussex Food Waste Café have successfully held their first food sale in the Falmer Quad, selling out to about 100 students in only 45 minutes.
Co-organiser , Café volunteer and Sussex student, Nikki described the scheme as a food café, where “wonky veg” that is “past its sell-by date but still good to eat” is made into “delicious” vegetarian and vegan meals. The meals are then sold on a “pay as you feel” basis.
The “by-students-for-students” initiative which uses “surplus food” from the Real Junk Food Project and other “local contributors” is aimed at “raising awareness about zero waste alternatives and bringing people together over a lovely ‘guilt-free’ meal”.
The Sussex Food Waste Café “saving the planet by combating food waste”.
It is also hoped that the first-come-first-served café will provide a much needed “sustainable” and “healthy, wallet – friendly” alternative for students on campus.
The first menu of the term – which was comprised of vegetables that would otherwise have been thrown away – featured a butternut squash curry, vegetable bruschetta and carrot coleslaw – all of which were vegetarian and vegan friendly.
On offer alongside the hot food, were carrots, onions, potatoes and other fresh vegetables.
Students were also encouraged to bring their own cutlery and containers, or pay 50p to avoid potentially damaging and avoidable plastic waste.
Viola Amorfini – one of the students responsible for organising the event – spoke to The Badger and said that the main aim now is to “get more people involved” with fresh recruitment planned over the next couple of weeks.
Viola also commended the “teamwork” that put the Waste Café together in “such a short space of time” and told how she was “scared” that the sale might not happen due to logistical difficulties in the run up to the event. She went on to say that:
“Now we’ve done the [first] event, we know what works and what doesn’t work […] right now we’re building the foundations […] then we’re going to get new people in to sustain those foundations.”
Viola also spoke about the food Waste Café’s plans for the future, saying that the aim now was to create a solid footing on campus and “expand [by] speaking to the Co-op on campus, Infinity Foods and Glaze” as well as tackling “the lack of vegan options” within the University.
The Waste Café aims to hold events bimonthly in a bid to reduce food waste. Ultimately, the organisers wish to hold the event weekly.
