Culture: This Food Was Labeled “Too Ugly” But Just Wait Until You See The Good It Does

Food waste is one of the most insidious global tragedies of the modern era. While people in the developed world die of obesity-caused illness, one in four people in Sub-Saharan Africa are undernourished. In the midst of this tragically skewed distribution of sustenance, an astounding third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted, according to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). When converted to money, this amounts to a horrifying figure of one trillion dollars – which is, frustratingly, much more than the $3.2 billion that the World Food Project determined it would take to feed all 66 million hungry school-age children.
Buy an “Intelligence is sexy” t-shirt!

It’s easy to see the injustice in these numbers, but unfortunately coming up with a solution is much harder. Feeding the 5000 is one organization dedicated to addressing the problem of food waste. According to their research, forty percent of food in America does not get consumed, due to cosmetic flaws or simple over-abundance. They estimate that three billion hungry people could be fed if we simply saved our food instead of throwing out what’s left over or unwanted.

Feeding the 5000 is redistributing food that would otherwise be unused back into the community – and they’re doing it in the coolest way possible. The organization has taken the traditional soup kitchen model, and turned it into an event that more closely resembles a music festival. The meals they host feature live DJs, cooking tutorials, and a group of people who truly get excited about the difference they are making in the world. They take food that has been determined to be unfit for sale due to a cosmetic flaw, which is still safe, nutritious, and tasty, and create a feast for the masses. Then, they teach others how to create similarly tasty, healthy, and inexpensive meals at home. Afterwards, those in need leave the event with as much free food as they would like to take with them.
In France it is Now ILLEGAL to Throw Out Edible Food

I found this idea to be super exciting, but was not sure how to help since there were no upcoming events near me. However, I found a quick and easy way to contribute by educating myself on their website and signing their Food Waste Pledge. I encourage you to do the same, and to come up with your own way to combat food waste and inspire others to share the nutritious wealth.