In 2024, the Municipality of Halandri—one of the largest municipalities in the metropolitan area of Attica, Greece, and a follower city in the ToNoWaste project—has demonstrated remarkable commitment to food waste prevention and sustainability through the implementation of five Open Learning Labs (OLLs). This surpasses the minimum number set by the project deliverables and significantly expands regional outreach efforts under Task 5.6.
As a follower city, Halandri’s role in the project is to transfer knowledge, adapt best practices, and gather community feedback through active networking and educational activities. The five OLLs conducted in 2024 engaged diverse target groups, including citizens, municipal authorities, educators, entrepreneurs, families, researchers, and children, totaling more than 1,000 participants. The municipality’s efforts are structured around the work of its dedicated Food Loss and Waste Prevention Unit.
Open Learning Lab 1: “Cook Smart and Save Food”
The first lab focused on promoting smarter, waste-conscious cooking techniques. It was closely aligned with the release of the municipality’s recipe book on leftover-based cooking, produced by the Food Loss and Waste Prevention Unit. The event featured contributions from well-known local chefs and engaged stakeholders across multiple sectors: city councillors and technicians, school communities (from preschool to high school), local HORECA businesses, NGOs, start-ups, and academia.
Evaluation was conducted both on-site and post-event through questionnaires, and the lab was positively received in terms of its educational value and impact on food waste awareness.
Open Learning Lab 2: “Food Upcycling – A Second Chance”
This lab explored the case study of reusing brewers’ spent grain—produced by a local microbrewery—to develop bakery products in collaboration with local businesses. This initiative was rooted in earlier work showcased in the municipality’s recipe book and represented a strong example of circular food system practices. Stakeholder engagement and feedback confirmed its potential for replication and scaling.
Open Learning Lab 3: “Saving Food in Public Nurseries”
Targeting very young children, this lab was developed in collaboration with the Food Bank and the Food Bank of Thessaly, which provided the illustrated tale “The Dream” as an educational tool. Activities included classroom-based and outdoor educational play, musical and theatrical dramatizations, and caregiver engagement.
The initiative built on earlier baseline studies conducted in 2022 and 2023, where food waste was measured in two of the municipality’s eight public nurseries. These studies offered insights into children’s food perceptions and informed the development of the program. Implemented in over 50% of preschool departments within two months of receiving the educational material, the lab is estimated to have reached at least 700 people, including children, educators, and parents.
The initiative has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the Innovation in Politics Awards 2024 in the “Education” category, recognizing its creative approach to early childhood education on food waste.
Open Learning Lab 4: “Saving Food in Schools During Summer Camps”
Implemented during municipal summer camps for children aged 5 to 12, this lab piloted a training programme on food waste awareness and food rescue practices. It included two types of workshops tailored to different age groups and was delivered across several primary schools, with repeated sessions in selected schools to test the impact of various factors.
The initiative included quantitative monitoring through a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) evaluating the proportion of preventable food waste. In total, 175 students participated, forming 44 teams and contributing to 49 completed questionnaires. The combined workshops yielded a total of 10.84 kg of food waste, with a calculated KPI of 44.18%. Parents provided positive feedback, validating the educational and behavioural impact of the initiative.
Open Learning Lab 5: “Food Upcycling – The Example of Bread and Beer”
The fifth and final lab returned to the theme of food upcycling, this time examining how brewers’ spent grain can enrich the nutritional value of bread, and how leftover bread can be used to brew beer as a substitute for barley malt. The event brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, policy makers, and local authorities to discuss practical applications and research avenues.
This initiative builds on a collaboration initiated in 2022 between the Food Loss and Waste Prevention Unit and a local microbrewery. It has resulted in shared recipes (presented in previous labs), presentations at two international and one national conference, and ongoing academic research. A PhD candidate and a diploma student are currently studying the use of brewers’ spent grain as a bioactive material and as a potential bread ingredient.
Through these five Open Learning Labs, the Municipality of Halandri has significantly contributed to the objectives of the ToNoWaste project. Its systematic, cross-sectoral, and community-driven approach has fostered local engagement, knowledge transfer, and concrete action toward reducing food loss and waste. The results not only demonstrate the potential for scalable good practices but also underscore the value of municipal leadership in advancing sustainable food systems at the local level.