Aiming to tackle the issue of excessive food waste, FoodSpace Ireland are beginning a series of sustainable lifestyle classes at INK Café in Dun Laoghaire, starting on 27 October. The series will provide guidelines in leading and maintaining a zero waste lifestyle.

Every year, there are over 1m tonnes of food waste disposed of in Ireland. FoodSpace Ireland wants to change the way people use food within the household and highlight how unnecessary this waste is. It aims to encourage people to start acting more responsibly and become conscious of what they are throwing away on a daily basis.

In 2019, FoodSpace Ireland were awarded their second three-star sustainability rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association. The organisation also won the Celebrate Local and Seasonal award at the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s annual industry awards in 2018.

Conor Spacey, culinary director of the organisation, explains that the “Reducing Food Waste” programme will take a hands-on approach in informing the public of how they can contribute to the cause.

Conor Spacey is the culinary director of FoodSpace Ireland.

Organisers will make use of readily available ingredients while demonstrating what can be done with seasonal fruit and vegetables, meat and fish to reduce household waste.

FoodSpace encourages people to enjoy whole foods and include locally sourced ingredients in their diets.

“We are hoping that through this programme and our Zero Waste Journey workshops, we can help take the mystery and confusion out of what foods we really should be eating for health, enjoyment and the planet,” says Conor.

While food waste can be harmful on both business and household budgets, excessive waste also has a detrimental effect on the environment. The foods we consume and produce can have serious implications for the planet. FoodSpace wants consumers to get their food from sustainable sources; encouraging the growth and supply of a more diverse range of crops. In turn, this agricultural diversity improves soil health, adds nutritional value to our diets and builds up the resilience of our climate. By being more conscious of these sustainable food sources, more options become available to smaller food producers.

So let’s use what we have and create dishes, flavours and meals we can all enjoy

FoodSpace Ireland believe, by taking on a few small steps in avoiding excessive food waste, they can have a radical impact on the planet as well as on physical health and finances.

Through their Stop Food Waste campaign, the organisation aims to showcase that leading a sustainable lifestyle is not as difficult as people might think. “So let’s use what we have and create dishes, flavours and meals we can all enjoy,” says Conor.

Hosted by Conor, the “Zero Waste Food” programme will take place on Tuesday 27 October at INK Café. Tickets are €30 and are available through Eventbrite.

The organisation are planning to host more informative workshops on food waste across their social media platforms. You can follow their Instagram page to get more information about upcoming events