As part of the active climate and environmental work of the city of Äänekoski, wasted school food is donated to those in need
In the food services of the city of Äänekoski, meritorious work is done every day in evaluating the quality of food. It is very challenging to assess the food consumption of large schools, so there are leftovers almost every day. As part of the active climate and environmental work of the city of Äänekoski, surplus food from schools is not thrown into bio waste, but has been donated to those in need through partners for years.
Even though the star food goes to a good cause, we always try to prepare food just to go. The professional staff constantly evaluates the process in their work, and Äänekoski has been very successful in this. The most challenging assessment is in the biggest schools and those with older children.
Voluntary partners who do good are key
The star food is distributed to the needy people of Tähnekoske. The Suolahti Työttömat ry collects star food for distribution on weekdays from the Suolahti unified school. The people of the rehabilitative work activity are looking for the star dish of the Koulunmäki unified school from Monday to Thursday. They don't have the resources to pick up food on Fridays, and then a lot of attention is paid to the amount of food prepared. Ääneseudun Ilona ry is looking for a star dish from Äänekoski high school. The newest partner in 2024 is the Free Church. The city has written agreements with its partners.
The food services of the city of Äänekoski are really satisfied with the valuable work that the volunteers do for the star dish.
The food to be donated has already been on the line, but it is good and hygienic. According to the food legislation, the food offered at the line cannot be put back in the refrigerator and served again the next day, so without voluntary food distribution it would go to bio-waste. The kitchen staff packs the star dish in hygienic and appropriate containers.
All food that has not yet been on the line can be served the next day at schools and kindergartens.
Sometimes it happens that there is no star food left to donate - and that is the number one goal, even if it goes to a good cause. Food prepared with tax funds is not sold on, and it is not, for example, distributed to staff, but is given to people who need it.
Small schools and kindergartens with less than a hundred children or pupils do not have the same challenges with star food as in larger units. The amount of food can be better predicted with smaller children.
Bio-waste as little as possible
In the kitchens of Äänekoski's schools and kindergartens, every effort is made to avoid bio-waste and food being thrown away. Food waste drives are organized at schools, and bulletins telling the total amount of bio-waste are displayed. Waste week is celebrated every year, when special attention is paid to food waste.
Every school and kindergarten has a plate model of the food served as a picture at the beginning of the line. The kitchen staff works on the food line and guides children and young people to take as much as they can eat. You can always get as much food as you want.
- We have professional staff, and our children and young people are well-informed, food service manager Raija Sällinen thank.
The law on the monitoring of waste and bio-waste has also changed, and now detailed instructions on waste measurement have been received from the ministry and a new documentation system is in use. The purpose is to publish the amounts of food waste from schools and kindergartens on the website of the city of Äänekoski during the spring. The information is also visible to students on the screens of large schools.
Äänekoski food services prepares food for about 3 people every day, and the staff now includes about 500 employees. After the Sote change, the city's food services have a Catering Center in Lipstikka Suolahti, where food is made for schools and daycare centers in Äänekoski, Suolahti, Konginkanka and Sumiainte.
The cafeteria-restaurant of the Health Center and the kitchen of the Konginkankaa service center have been transferred to the Central Finland welfare area.
For more information:
Food service manager Raija Sällinen, 040 705 8460, raija.sallinen@aanekoski.fi
News published 16.3.2023, modified 24.9.2024/15/52 at XNUMX:XNUMX
