Waste not, want not at Disco Soup

On a gloriously sunny day in the Spanish Arch recently, An Mheitheal Rothar, the University's Ecology Society and the Kitchen Café came together to organise Disco Soup - a free lunch event to promote awareness around food waste. Volunteers prepared and cooked free meals from ingredients donated by cafés and food producers from around Galway. In total, over 700 portions of free food were given out.

Paula Flannelly, An Mheitheal Rothar Coordinator, offering out the last of the delicious apple and rhubarb crumble

The family-friendly event included a wormery, painting workshops, comedy from Tomie James and music by Mr Whippy Soundsystem, located in and around a marquee in front of the Galway city museum. All of the food was vegetarian and made from misshaped or otherwise wasted or surplus produce donated for the event.

Coralie Mureau, one of the An Mheitheal Rothar event coordinators said that “We should be demanding second class vegetables from our local markets and green-grocers. Half portions and doggy bags should be the norm. And we should say yes to gleaning vegetables deemed too old, too big, too small, too wonky, but still delicious and perfectly edible. It's all about bringing awareness and changing what we feel is important, and doing something about it, at whatever level we can.”

Volunteers celebrate the success of Ireland's first Disco Soup

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