Eating Better

While campaigning against large pig and poultry units has focused largely on the negative impacts on waterways, such as the River Wye, the environmental, animal welfare and justice issues reach far beyond our waters.

There are so many young people in the UK who want to make a difference to food systems. Following our spotlight on organisations in the alliance working with and for young people, we spoke to some of the Food Foundations’ Youth Ambassadors about their motivation to better understand and change our current food environment.

International Youth Day takes place on 12th August every year. Following the events and campaigns this year, we’re spotlighting some of the organisations across the Eating Better alliance who are working with or for young people in the UK.

Following our Retailer and Manufacturer messaging guides, Eating Better have been gearing up to develop our messaging guide focused on supporting better engagement with producers. As part of our Changing the Narrative project, we hosted an event, ‘Farming and dietary change: building common ground’, split over two days. These talks, farm tours and workshops were for the Eating Better alliance and beyond, helping to  bridge the gap between NGOs, funders, researchers, civil servants and farmers.

Eating Better is pleased to welcome three new organisations to the alliance to strengthen the movement and bring expertise in farming, animal welfare, health and the environment.

Eating Better’s Better by Half roadmap calls for producers to maximise UK-based plant production in a sustainable way. Key to this is paying growers fairly and embedding accessibility across the business. We spoke to Sean Ruffell, Managing Director of Organic North in Manchester, about how they are supporting farmers and supplying organic produce to businesses across the UK.

It’s no secret that here at Eating Better we are buzzing about beans! ‘Anything is Pulse-able’ is a month-long campaign highlighting the benefits of beans, peas and lentils for our health, our pockets and our planet.

Bread n Butter is a Barnet-based social enterprise that teaches the basic life skills of cooking and sustainable, healthy, independent living. We spoke to them about how the cost of living crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have changed their approach to working in their community and the positive impact that healthy eating can have.

‘Producing, Buying and Serving Better’ is the latest film by Eating Better, highlighting the exemplary work taking place in Scotland. This is an inspirational story that can help other local authorities, producers and retailers see the potential of local food systems.

Ecologist and author, Carl Safina; scholar and activist, Dr Vandana Shiva; Director at the Centre for Food Policy, City, University of London, Professor Corinna Hawkes; writer, activist and academic, Professor Raj Patel; and UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Professor Olivier De Schutter, among top speakers announced.