BUDDING chefs will be given the chance next month to learn how to use up "waste food".

BUDDING chefs will be given the chance next month to learn how to use up "waste food".

BUDDING chefs will be given the chance next month to learn how to use up "waste food". On Tuesday, September 14, chefs from Bristol's award- winning Thali Cafe will give a free cooking demonstration using food that would otherwise be destined for landfill, reprocessed as animal feed or otherwise wasted.
The event is being organised by FareShare South West, which collects surplus food from producers and suppliers within the food industry and redistributes it to those in need.
The demonstration is being held at Bordeaux Quay for groups that FareShare South West work with.

Very interested to see the story above in the local paper, especially after watching the BBC program the Great British Waste Menu recently (information below). Its well worth a watch - click the link to BBC iPlayer.

Programme following four of the nation's top chefs - Angela Hartnett, Richard Corrigan, Matt Tebbutt and Simon Rimmer - as they journey deep into the heart of Britain's food waste problem, exploring how and why the nation throws away and reject huge quantities of perfectly edible food.

Cameras follow the chefs as they source shocking amounts of unwanted food from every link in the food chain - from supermarkets to ordinary homes, markets to farms - and then transform it into mouth-watering dishes.

The chefs face a unique and near-impossible task: can they create a fabulous banquet for over 60 VIPs using the food that the rest of us don't want? Can they create restaurant-standard food using ingredients that have been discarded, rejected or deemed unsuitable for sale? Will they be able to change the way Britons think about waste food?

The dishes the chefs create are judged by four of the nation's toughest food critics - Matthew Fort, Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton and Jay Rayner - who decide which dishes go onto the menu for the lavish banquet designed to prove that saving scraps is good.

As the chefs source their ingredients and the banquet unfolds, the solution to the scandalous food waste crisis reveals itself to be a simple one: just eat it.

Free schools meals for all children

I very strongly agree with Steve, who emailed me today (copied below). Its Green Party policy to provide all children with a meal at school free of charge. Our full policy statement on schools meals says,

'It will be a minimum requirement that all children are provided free of charge with a balanced nutritious lunch including local and organic non-GM food, free from additives. Vegetarian, vegan, religious and other dietary requirements will be catered for. Vending machines will only supply healthy snacks and not crisps, carbonated drinks and sweets. Schools will be encouraged to involve children in growing, preparing and cooking food. Not only will this provide invaluable and essential education in the importance of a good diet, but evidence shows it will greatly improve behaviour, quality of life and learning.'
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Dear...

I am writing to you because all children deserve a hot healthy meal at lunch time. Providing more free school meals will ensure that every child in your constituency realises their right to not go hungry and will reduce educational and health inequalities. They also make good economic sense as they reduce health care costs and increase educational standards.

As a Parliamentary candidate for my constituency I call on you to support the extended provision of free school meals to ensure that all children have a hot, healthy meal at lunch time.

Yours sincerely

Steve...

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Further Green policies on Young People and Education:

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/policies/young_people_2010.html

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/policies/young_people_2010/young_people_detail.html

http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/mfssed.html