During the European Week for Waste Reduction, we aimed to bring the topic of food waste to various age groups and communities through as many communication channels as possible. Our programs included online events and in-person activities, engaging different age groups from preschool children to the adult population.
Our goal was to widely promote the prevention of food waste and inspire people toward more sustainable lifestyles through professional collaborations, educational activities, and comprehensive communication campaigns.
The waste hierarchy model adapted from the perspective of Project Wasteless was at the center of our communication, which effectively illustrated the steps for preventing and managing food waste. This approach allowed us to communicate the importance of sustainability in a clear and impactful way.
- Cook wasteless! Webinar
As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, Project Wasteless organized its first-ever webinar titled Cook wasteless!. This 90-minute online evening event aimed to provide participants practical, easy-to-implement ideas and inspiration for meal preparation—from planning to creative using of leftovers.
Promoted on Facebook and Instagram, the webinar attracted a total of 27 participants from various parts of Hungary, including Budapest, as well as Zala, Hajdú-Bihar, Somogy, Bács-Kiskun, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komárom-Esztergom, and Veszprém counties. The online format and the evening timing proved to be especially popular, allowing attendees to join after work and daily responsibilities.
Participants were actively engaged in the event, and their positive feedback affirmed that similar online formats are an effective way to raise awareness about the importance of reducing food waste. The success of this webinar motivates us to organize more such events in the future.
Some participant feedback on the webinar:
“I thought I already knew everything, but I learned a lot of new information. I also loved the structured approach you presented. The evening timing is great, as both kids and adults could attend. Thank you!”
“It was a great summary with plenty of useful tips—thank you very much!”
“Thank you for all the valuable information. I would love to join again in the future if there’s an opportunity. The content was very interesting and helpful.”
2. Think wasteless! sessions for Children
As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, we aimed to reach as many children as possible with our Think wasteless! presentations. The goal was to emphasize the importance of preventing food waste from a young age. During these interactive sessions, we introduced children to the value of food and ways to reduce waste through engaging, age-appropriate activities.
The children not only gained new knowledge but actively participated in discussions and games, fostering awareness and personal responsibility for reducing food waste. Throughout the week, we held sessions at multiple locations:
During the week, we reached a total of 368 children through sessions at the Budafok Kossuth Lajos Hungarian-English Bilingual Primary School (306 students), an educational event by MiReHu Nonprofit Kft. (12 participants), and the Mosolyvár Foundation Kindergarten (50 preschoolers).
Our educational materials are available online in Hungarian and in English as well: https://maradeknelkul.hu/en/school-programme/
3. Online Campaign and Quiz Focused on the Waste Hierarchy
Throughout the week, we launched a comprehensive social media campaign to highlight the importance of reducing food waste. The campaign centered on a modified version of the waste hierarchy model from the perspective of the Project Wasteless program. Topics included prevention, food donation, feeding animals, recycling of used cooking oil, composting, collecting bio-waste, and finally, landfill disposal—providing a thorough overview of food waste management options.
We shared informative and inspiring posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, encouraging followers to take actionable steps to reduce food waste. To boost engagement, we included a quiz-based giveaway. Participants answered 10 questions based on the campaign posts. A total of 317 people participated. Among those with correct answers, we raffled five HUF 15,000 Libri book gift cards and five Project Wasteless gift packs to further incentivize involvement.
We concluded the week with a summary post highlighting our activities. The campaign reached a total of 19,400 people online, providing practical applications of the waste hierarchy. Additionally, we gained 60 new followers on Instagram and 19 on Facebook. The combination of educational content and playful elements successfully engaged a wide audience and underscored the everyday importance of sustainability.
4. Household Food Waste Survey
During the European Week for Waste Reduction, we focused on promoting our 6th national household food waste survey, encouraging as many people as possible to participate. We used both in-person events and online activities to engage with interested individuals.
To support participation, we provided unique coupons for registration. Those who successfully completed the one-week survey received a small gift pack as an incentive. As a result of the campaign, 48 people registered for the household food waste survey.
The participating households not only contributes to creating a national food waste snapshot and fulfilling EU reporting obligations but also offers participants deeper insights into their own consumption habits, helping them move toward more sustainable food handling practices.
5. Visit to MiReHu Kft.
In the framework of the European Week for Waste Reduction, we visited MiReHu Nonprofit Kft. in Miskolc, laying the foundation for a long-term partnership. The visit included a knowledge-sharing session, an interactive lesson on waste reduction and food waste, and a tour of MiReHu’s waste processing plant and educational materials.
We were pleased to certify MiReHu employees as Wasteless Ambassadors, enabling them to carry out awareness-raising activities on food waste prevention using credible and professional materials.
A video summary of the visit is available on our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/555668290720671
- Support for Göd City’s Event
As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, the Project Wasteless actively supported an event in Göd City focused on sustainability and waste reduction.
To contribute to the event’s success, we provided 3,000 informational materials, including 1,000 copies of Project Wasteless booklet and 2,000 flyers. We are pleased that the event allowed our program’s message to reach a broader audience, further reinforcing the importance of awareness and supporting the event’s educational objectives.