Between May and October 2024, Caritas Vienna hosted a vibrant series of cooking workshops as part of the EU-funded ToNoWaste project. Held at the Caritas Community Cooking kitchen in Vienna’s Kulturhaus Brotfabrik, these sessions brought together participants from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds to share one goal: reducing household fruit and vegetable waste through knowledge, community, and creativity.
The free, multilingual workshops—offered in German, English, Arabic, and Ukrainian—were designed to be inclusive and practical. They targeted people who often face participation barriers, such as language limitations, low formal education, or economic difficulties. With an emphasis on hands-on learning, participants explored how to transform often-discarded ingredients like overripe bananas, wilted herbs, and soft tomatoes into delicious dishes such as avocado pesto pasta, fruit crumble, and Panzanella salad.
Beyond cooking, the sessions promoted a space for mutual learning. Participants shared storage tips, preservation methods, and zero-waste kitchen hacks. Some ingredients were donated by Caritas’ food bank Le+O, further promoting circular food use.
Impact at a glance:
- 9 engaging workshops
- 125 participants
- Cross-cultural storytelling and exchange
- Increased motivation and capability to reduce food waste at home
To measure long-term impact, participants completed surveys on food waste behaviours before and after the sessions. Early results show a clear reduction in household fruit and vegetable waste—demonstrating the power of community-led, practical education.
Thanks to all who cooked with us for a greener future.
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