Anja Tester, mother of three, project and program manager and sustainability enthusiast, participated in the GoSimple Program run by the association GreenUp from February to June 2025 (1st from left in the photo). GreenUp is a non-profit organisation which has its roots in the city and canton of Basel and works across Switzerland to inspire people to act for sustainability and adopt a resource-light lifestyle at home and at work. The Go Simple Program is its flagship offering for individuals and households showcasing this simpler life through workshops and talks.  As part of the program Anja was able to join a GoSimple Sustainable City Tour. This is the impact it had on her:

 

I must admit that, to begin with, I was sceptical about the idea of a Sustainable City Tour as part of the GoSimple Program. When I looked at the list of shops I thought: I know these shops, I know where they are, What am I going to learn here that I don’t already know?

 

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The tour challenged my own choices and behaviours. It was a true mindset shift moment for me that will stick. How so?

I consider myself a climate forward person that is aware about the challenges our world faces and that actively seeks out information, sustainable options and alternatives. I sometimes ask myself what else I could be doing when I am already skipping meat, cycle to most places and try more and more to avoid packaging? 

 

The tour revealed that in many ways I am still stuck in my comfort zone of what I have always been doing, of “what I know” and what is convenient. 

 

As part of the Go Simple Sustainable City Tour, we visited several shops in Basel, learned about their concepts; why and how they work for a more sustainable world. We learned about how ‘Re-Work’ uses fabrics destined for landfill to turn them into new clothes. We learned how Swiss brand “Erfolg” prioritises using local materials and production and we heard more about organic farming and fair trade at “Sahara”. While standing in these shops, I thought about my most recent shopping behaviours. I had just updated my wardrobe by buying at H&M. The lure of their promise to recycle my old fabrics AND the discount voucher I received were stronger than my convictions. I prioritised buying cheaply and conveniently.

 

This realisation hit me hard.

 

By buying high street…

By buying new instead of second hand…

By buying cheaply…

By buying “Made on the other side of the world” …

 

…wasn’t I perpetuating the system that I want to change? 

 

…couldn’t my own choices be more supportive of the good business practices such as circularity and reusing that I have learned about and that I favour?

 

The Sustainable City Tour revealed opportunities for how and where I can use my power as a consumer and as an individual to make an impact.

 

It turns out that Basel with its many second hand and circular economy stores, flea markets and repair cafes offers a wide range of opportunities to do things differently. The GoSimple Sustainable City Tour makes it easy, on top of being a very pleasant walk in the very picturesque city centre of Basel. I highly recommend this tour if – like me – you are looking to strengthen your own power as an individual in order to tackle climate change, lead a more sustainable life in alignment with your values. 

 

If you would enjoy experiencing the tour as part of a community of like minded people like Anja did, join us for our next Go Simple Program (in German) starting in September 2025. Benefit now from the Early Bird price!

 

If you prefer to explore in your own time, the brand new GoSimple Sustainable City Tour available in the Actionbound-App is just right for you. Simply download the app, search GoSimple Sustainable City Tour and start exploring.

 

What if your weekly veggies came with a sense of purpose?

Across Switzerland, hundreds of people are rediscovering what it means to grow fresh produce, together.

They plant, harvest, and share locally grown food straight from the soil, rebuilding not only local food systems but also a sense of community.

This growing movement is called community-supported agriculture (CSA) or, in German, Solidarische Landwirtschaft (SOLAWI) or Regionale Vertragslandwirtschaft (RVL).

It’s a partnership between farmers and consumers based on solidarity, transparency, and care for the land.

For decades, the global food system has focused on producing more — more yield, more calories, more profit.

The so-called Green Revolution brought industrial fertilizers, pesticides, and high-yield crops that fed millions. But the price has been steep.

Industrial agriculture has accelerated land degradation by exhausting soils through intensive monocultures, heavy tilling, and excessive chemical inputs. Over time, this combination strips the soil of nutrients, disrupts its natural structure, and increases erosion, leaving once-fertile land depleted and far less resilient (UNEP).

This degradation also drives a steep decline in biodiversity. Today, just three crops — rice, maize, and wheat — provide 60% of global calories, crowding out thousands of native plant species and the diverse insects, birds, and microorganisms that depend on them. In addition, fertilizer runoff pollutes rivers and oceans. Agriculture now accounts for roughly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses half of the world’s habitable land. 

This system doesn’t just harm nature; it harms people.Industrial farming exposes workers and wildlife to toxins, drives deforestation, and fuels antibiotic resistance. Farmers often struggle to survive despite producing record harvests. Food has become a cheap commodity —abundant yet disconnected from its true cost.

In short: our food system feeds the world, but it doesn’t nourish it.

Community-supported agriculture flips this logic.

Instead of distant supply chains and faceless markets, CSA builds direct partnerships between farmers and consumers so that the latter can easily have access to locally grown food. Moreover, they apply regenerative farming practices that protects the soil and the land’s biodiversity.

Members contribute a fixed amount at the start of the season, sharing the farm’s risks and rewards. They receive a regular share of fresh, seasonal produce — often harvested that very morning. Many also join in for planting days, harvest festivals, or volunteer shifts.

It’s locally grown food for people, not markets — a system rooted in fairness, trust, and transparency.

Farmers gain financial security and freedom to focus on soil health, biodiversity, and ethical practices rather than market pressures. Consumers gain more than vegetables — they gain a relationship with the people and places that feed them.

CSA brings sustainability down to earth — literally.

By embracing organic or regenerative methods, cutting food miles and eliminating packaging, these farms restore soil life, reduce emissions, and support pollinators and local ecosystems.

For participants, it’s also a way to reconnect with nature in everyday life. For those cooperatives that invite members to be hands-on, working outdoors reduces stress, improves physical and mental health, and rebuilds appreciation for seasonal rhythms.

It turns food from a transaction into an experience. One that nurtures community and wellbeing.

CSA also reshapes local economies. Instead of competing on volatile markets, farmers and consumers co-create transparent, local food cycles. That’s resilience — not just for farms, but for whole communities.

The first SOLAWI farms appeared in Switzerland in the late 1970s, inspired by models from Japan and the U.S. After a quiet start, the movement is blossoming again — today, around 40 initiatives are active across the country.

Here are a few examples:

• Pura Verdura (Zurich): More than a veggie subscription — members help harvest, transport, and plan crops, becoming part of the farm’s rhythm.
• Solawi Halde (Altendorf, Zurich): A biocyclic-vegan farm — no tractors, no animal manure, just soil regeneration and low-impact innovation.
• meh als gmües (Zurich): A cooperative where members contribute about 20 hours of work each season and share weekly harvests.

Herbstzeitlosen (Obermettlen, Bern): A SOLAWI model for ethical livestock farming that deepens ties between producers and community.

Each project looks different — but they share one principle: when people reconnect with the land, locally grown food becomes a force for regeneration.

Feeling inspired to get your hands in the soil? Here are a few ways to start:

🌱 Join or support a local SOLAWI or a community garden
Find a nearby initiative and sign up as a member. Or  volunteer for a planting day. Also quite often, municipalities run their own gardening projects. Ask your council about community gardens in your area.

If you are in Davos, get in touch with us! We run a number of related initiatives such as: 

• A bio-vegetable garden and courses
• A compost and organic waste project
• Workshops as part of the Davos Tourism programme that include foraging, fermentation and other activities
• A mini-Alpine garden at the Kirchner Museum

You can find more information here.

Pick your own produce
Try one of Switzerland’s “self-pick” farms to reconnect with food production firsthand:

• freizeit.ch – Beeren & Gemüse selber pflücken

• selberpfluecken.ch

Buy local
Support farm shops and veggie-box subscriptions such as:

• Solawi Halde – Zurich, Wädenswil, Rapperswil, Glarus

• Uglyfruits  – nationwide organic fruit & veg delivery

• Biogmües-Abo – Bern, Solothurn, Murten

• Bio Bouquet – Zürich, Basel, Bern, Solothurn

Start small
Grow herbs or tomatoes on your balcony — even tiny patches reconnect us with cycles of care and patience.

Community-supported agriculture reminds us that food can be more than a product — it can be a relationship.

Every shared harvest builds trust, resilience, and belonging.

When we grow food locally together, we grow something far greater: a culture of care — for ourselves, each other, and the planet.

At our GreenShare pop-up in Basel on May 9, 1,000 potted herbs—rosemary, thyme, sage, and more—were rescued from compost and given new homes!

Over 300 visitors were amazed by the quality, sparking meaningful talks about event waste and reconnecting with nature.

By saving these plants, we cut about 250 kg of CO₂—equivalent to a 1,000 km car trip.

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Want to learn more what GreenUp does on circularity? 
– This is our GreenShare project 
– We are starting a regional circle from Circular Economy Switzerland in Graubünden

We all know that sustainability matters. We’ve seen the headlines, watched the documentaries, maybe even followed a few climate activists on social media or shared an infographic about plastic waste. But knowing isn’t the same as doing—and in a world facing urgent environmental challenges, doing is what counts.

So how do we move from awareness to meaningful action? The answer might be simpler, and more hands-on, than you think.

At GreenUp, we’ve found that real change begins when people step into sustainability with their own two feet. Whether it’s cooking with rescued food, joining a cleanup effort, or exploring how waste can be given a new life, these experiences make sustainability feel real. They shift perspectives, spark curiosity, and often stay with people long after the day is over.

This blog explores why hands-on learning is such a powerful driver of sustainable change. It also shares how GreenUp’s workshops and interactive sessions are helping individuals and organisations across Switzerland bring that change to life.

Why Hands-On Learning Works

Sustainability isn’t always easy to grasp. It’s a big word, tied to even bigger systems, such as climate, food, waste and biodiversity. For many people, it can feel distant, abstract, or even overwhelming. That’s where hands-on learning makes all the difference.

When we do something—plant a seed, sort waste by hand, prepare a meal from rescued ingredients—we stop thinking of sustainability as a theory and start relating to it as something personal and possible. The experience becomes a turning point. It’s no longer just information we’re processing; it’s something we’ve lived through, something we’ve felt.

This isn’t just intuition – it’s backed by research. Studies in environmental education show that experiential learning increases retention, deepens understanding, and strengthens emotional engagement, all of which are key to lasting behaviour change. When people are actively involved, they’re far more likely to remember what they learned and apply it in their daily lives.

Emotional connection also plays a powerful role. Programs that involve nature-based or community activities often see participants walk away not just more informed, but more motivated and confident in their ability to contribute to change. Even one well-designed, hands-on experience – like a sustainability workshop or an outdoor cleanup – can shift attitudes and plant the seed for long-term action.

That’s why experiential learning works so well. It connects the dots between knowledge and action. It helps people go from understanding a problem to believing they can be part of the solution.

GreenUp in Action: Workshops That Make a Difference

It’s one thing to talk about how hands-on learning works. It’s another to see it in motion. At GreenUp, our workshops are designed to make sustainability feel real and relevant. They create opportunities for people to engage directly with environmental issues, using practical, creative activities that lead to new insights and habits.

Each session combines interaction, reflection, and action. Participants don’t just receive information—they experience it, and they leave with a clearer understanding of how their choices connect to the wider world. Here’s how that learning comes to life:

Circular Champions

Resources are limited—but creativity isn’t. This workshop introduces the principles of a circular economy through a mix of conversation, hands-on demonstrations, and a visit to a local circular project. Participants explore how to reduce waste at the source and repurpose materials in ways that save money, lower emissions, and encourage innovative thinking.​

The need for circular approaches is increasingly urgent. According to the Circularity Gap Report 2023, only 7.2% of the materials we use globally are part of a closed-loop system—meaning over 90% of extracted resources are wasted after a single use. This linear “take–make–waste” model contributes significantly to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Shifting toward a circular economy helps address all three by keeping materials in use and reducing our reliance on virgin resources. ​

Instead of abstract ideas, the group works with real-world examples—trying out minimal-waste products, testing practical tools, and seeing how circular solutions work in everyday life. The experience helps shift mindsets and opens up new ways of thinking about value, consumption, and design.

Nature Keepers

This outdoor workshop focuses on the environmental impact of waste, particularly on soil, water, and biodiversity. Participants head outside for a group cleanup, combined with an exploration of how litter affects local ecosystems.

Litter doesn’t just spoil the view—it disrupts entire ecosystems. As it breaks down, it can release microplastics and toxic substances into soil and waterways, affecting wildlife and plant health. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), litter—especially plastics—is a key driver of biodiversity loss, with serious implications for both terrestrial and marine environments. Improper waste management contributes to habitat degradation, pollutes freshwater systems, and endangers thousands of species.

The act of physically removing waste from natural areas creates space for meaningful reflection. People often come away with a renewed sense of connection to the environment and a better understanding of the role they can play in protecting it. The activity also builds a sense of teamwork and shared purpose, making the learning both personal and social.

Food Futures

Together, the group prepares a snack from surplus ingredients, discusses food choices, and visits a local food initiative making a positive difference. The experience combines practical skills with reflection and curiosity. It encourages people to rethink their habits and explore how food can be a joyful, powerful part of living more sustainably.​

The environmental footprint of our food system is substantial. According to a study published in Nature Food, food systems were responsible for 34% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in 2015. The largest contribution came from agriculture and land use/land-use change activities, with the remaining emissions from supply chain activities such as retail, transport, consumption, fuel production, waste management, industrial processes, and packaging.

This workshop is not only informative—it’s also a meaningful shared experience. As Stephanie Scheller, Hospitality Manager at FELFEL, shared after a recent Food Futures session in Zürich:

“The short version of the workshop ‘Food Futures’ by GreenUp was both educational and a great team bonding opportunity. Full of passion and joy, GreenUp shared their knowledge with us and gave us ideas for a more sustainable lifestyle!”

More Ways to Engage: Talks and Games

Not every organisation has the time or capacity for a full-day workshop. That’s why GreenUp also offers shorter, flexible formats that make sustainability accessible – even in the middle of a busy workday.

Our 30-minute talks and three-hour games are designed to spark interest and plant the seeds of change. They work well as part of team events, sustainability days, or even just a morning meeting with a twist. The focus is on participation, curiosity, and creating a moment of connection to environmental topics.

Talks

These focused sessions dive into key sustainability themes—like food, fashion, or plastic waste—without overwhelming participants. In half an hour, we unpack the environmental issues tied to everyday habits, share practical insights, and open space for discussion.

Because the sessions are concise, they’re ideal for teams looking to build awareness or kick off wider sustainability efforts. Even within a short time, participants often come away with new perspectives and ideas they’re eager to explore further.

Games

For teams who want something more interactive, our games offer a light but effective way to engage. Activities like sustainability bingo or a lucky-wheel challenge bring environmental topics into a playful, social setting.

These games are designed to be inclusive and energising. They create opportunities for people to learn from one another, discover surprising facts, and enjoy a shared experience that builds team spirit. Importantly, they also open the door to deeper conversations—without ever feeling like a lecture.

Why Organisations Choose GreenUp

Creating a culture of sustainability at work can feel like a big task—but it starts with simple, shared experiences. GreenUp supports organisations by making sustainability engaging, practical, and relevant to real workplace life.

Since 2020, we’ve worked with companies and institutions across Switzerland to bring sustainability to life through action-based learning. Our team combines deep knowledge of environmental topics with a genuine passion for making change feel possible. We understand that every organisation is different, which is why we offer flexible, customisable formats that fit your team, your goals, and your schedule.

What sets GreenUp apart isn’t just what we teach—it’s how we teach it. Everything we offer is designed to get people involved, not just listening. Our sessions are built to encourage connection, collaboration, and shared purpose. They’re grounded in current science and real-world solutions, while maintaining a positive tone that focuses on possibilities rather than guilt or overload. Above all, they’re memorable—rooted in hands-on activities that leave a lasting impression and inspire people to take what they’ve learned into their daily lives.

Organisations that work with GreenUp often find that something shifts. Teams start to speak the same language around sustainability. Ideas surface that weren’t there before. And most importantly, people feel inspired to act—not just because they have to, but because they want to.

Whether you’re building momentum for your sustainability strategy or simply starting the conversation, GreenUp provides the spark that helps teams move forward.

Conclusion: Small Actions, Big Shifts

Sustainability doesn’t begin with sweeping policies or global declarations—it starts with small, intentional actions. The kind we take when we understand the issues not just in theory, but through experience. That’s where hands-on learning makes a real difference. It helps people see the impact of their choices, feel connected to the bigger picture, and gain the confidence to act.

At GreenUp, we’ve seen how a morning spent cooking with rescued food or cleaning up a local park can stay with people for months—sometimes years. These experiences build momentum. They shift habits. They turn good intentions into meaningful steps, and often spark bigger changes within teams and organisations.

By creating space for curiosity, participation, and creativity, our workshops and activities open the door to a more sustainable way of working and living. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about getting started.If you’re ready to make sustainability part of your workplace culture, we’re here to help. Explore our workshops and services or reach out to co-create something that fits your vision. One experience might be all it takes to start something bigger.

With spring just around the corner and the ski season slowly drawing to a close, we gathered a group of passionate snow lovers in Davos to watch “The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow” – a Patagonia film that explores the connection between adventure, nature and community, followed by a discussion about snow, climate and (local) sustainability actions. 

Is the pursuit of snow truly meaningless and what role can one play in protecting our playgrounds?

A Night of Reflection in Davos

For one week each year, the village of Davos in the Swiss Grisons becomes the focal point of global attention during the World Economic Forum. Beyond that, it is a hub for winter sports enthusiasts and a site where climate realities are increasingly evident. Through its Climate Hub and Greenshare projects, Green Up brings nature and climate to the forefront, ensuring that sustainability remains part of the conversation—not just during WEF week, but all year round.

The Harsh Reality of Snow Scarcity

Winter sports have become highly vulnerable to snow scarcity, which is increasing due to climate change.  According to the latest information sheet on winter climate scenarios for Switzerland until 2050, winter temperatures have risen by approximately 2.4°C since 1864, as a result of human-driven climate change. By 2050, another 1°C rise is expected, with significant variations depending on climate action and natural fluctuations. 

This warming trend means more precipitation will fall as rain rather than snow, reducing the number of fresh snowfall days and thinning the snowpack. The statistics paint a stark picture:

• Snow cover has declined by 40% at altitudes of 1000–1500 meters, 33% at 2000 meters, and 17% at 2500 meters since 1961. 
• 54% of ski slopes in Switzerland were technically (artificially) snow-covered in 2023. 
• While snowmaking is the current stopgap solution, it will become increasingly energy-and water-intensive, given the predicted rise in temperatures.

In a nutshell, skiing as we’ve done until now is not sustainable in the long term. So what can we do ? 

Beyond the Slopes: Rethinking Our Approach to Winter Sports

Patagonia’s “The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow” follows five backcountry skiers across Japan, Europe and the US. United by their love of the mountains, they find joy in the struggle, a deep connection to nature, and a sense of belonging through their shared experiences. 

Could backcountry skiing be part of a more sustainable future for winter sports? Our audience in Davos seemed to think so. While backcountry skiing requires fewer artificial resources than downhill skiing, it alone is not the solution. It must be combined with broader sustainability efforts at both individual and resort levels.

 Some simple yet impactful actions include: 

• travelling by public transport rather than with individual vehicles, 
• repairing and re-using equipment instead of buying new gear each season.
• supporting ski resorts that embrace sustainable energy solutions and diversify their activities to adapt to climate change.

“I found that people who love the same thing really make a difference” said Vicki Fleckenstein Woodworth in the movie. Encouragingly, Swiss ski resorts are already expanding their winter offerings beyond traditional skiing—promoting winter hiking, backcountry skiing, and other lower-impact activities. Meanwhile, initiatives like Snowstainability, founded in 2022 by Swiss-Ski and energy company BKW, are actively working to make winter sports more sustainable through innovations in energy and infrastructure.

Local Actions for a Global Challenge

The discussion in Davos didn’t just focus on the big picture—it also sparked tangible ideas for local action. Some of the suggestions included:

• Strengthening support for public transportation to and within the region.
• Encouraging and educating young people on responsible backcountry skiing.
• Developing more community-driven sustainability initiatives, such as repair cafés and urban gardening projects.

An Inspiring Evening of Connection and Commitment

The evening in Davos was more than just a film screening; it was a celebration of community, shared experiences, and a collective commitment to protecting the places we love. Over drinks and focaccia rolls, snow lovers exchanged stories, ideas, and motivation to take action.

As Melissa Gil beautifully put it: “There is something magical about the white blanket.” Let’s ensure that magic endures for future generations.

Sources and resources:

https://www.patagonia.com/stories/the-meaningless-pursuit-of-snow/video-144108.html

https://www.seilbahnen.org/news/wissenschaftliche-grundlagen-zum-klimawandel-wintertourismus

https://fr.statista.com/infographie/29060/part-des-pistes-stations-de-ski-ayant-recours-canons-neige-artificielle-par-pays-alpes/

https://www.snowstainability.ch/fr/initiative/snow-sustainability/

Tsüri.ch made November its circularity month, partnering with Greenbuzz and One Planet Lab Switzerland for their event Product longevity & repairability in Switzerland and beyond, and Repair Thursday is at the door! 

While Switzerland is quite advanced when it comes to recycling, repairability and avoidance of waste are also gaining momentum. In 2022 already, 14 organisations from all parts of Switzerland have formed the Long live our products coalition to support the transition to a true circular economy in Switzerland. The coalition wants to support the creation of a framework at federal level and encourage economic actors to further develop their offer in extending the lifespan of consumer goods. 

According to the OECD indicator on municipal waste (waste collected and treated by or for municipalities, included waste from households, commerce and trade, office buildings, businesses, yard and garden waste, street sweepings, litter containers and market cleansing), people in Switzerland generated 700 kgs of waste per person in 2021,  a trend that had been increasing since 1990. In particular, an average of over 23 kilos of electronic waste is disposed of per capita every year in Switzerland. Some electronic devices are indeed difficult to recycle because of their complexity and the variety of materials they contain. According to Joelle Herrin from Greenpeace and the Long live our product coalition, if we were to recondition mobile phones instead of producing new ones, we would use 80% less resources while also avoiding 4 to 5 times the CO2 emissions usually emitted.

With Repair Thursday on November 28th, the Zuerich repair association decided to make our life easier so we could repair objects instead of throwing them away. Repair Thursday sees workshops, repair businesses and dedicated craftspeople open their doors throughout Zurich. Driving force behind the working group for the creation of a repair and upcycling centre in the city of Zurich, the association offers an online platform mapping existing repair businesses (including the repair cafés that we already know!) and partner with Entsorgung und Recycling Zürich (ERZ), offering repair advice as part of the Mobile Recycling Centre pilot project.

As the association joyfully says, “Repair Thursday – an opportunity to finally get those repairs you keep putting off done – because throwing things away is not an option!” Be part of the movement!

“We cooked a strange dessert”.This is one feedback we got after our Food Futures workshop last week in Laax around sustainable food, as we chose to make a vegan version of the French pain perdu, the French toast with recovered bread as an example of a recipe against food waste. In this workshop, we usually kick off by looking at facts around food production and consumption: did you know that the global food system is the single biggest contributor to climate change, causing 1/3 of global greenhouse gas emissions? We then question our food choices and brainstorm about sustainable solutions and actions to the food challenges we face today. Among those solutions, reducing food waste is key. According to the United Nations[1], almost 1 billion tons of food – 17 percent of all food available to consumers worldwide – goes into trash bins every year. Producing, transporting, and letting that food rot contribute more than 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitting country in the world. Good news is, as consumers, we can play a part in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions related to our food system by starting buying less and reducing (eliminating?) our food waste. That is why our Food Futures workshops always involve hands-on preparing of foodsave recipes. For this occasion we even cooked a whole meal together. What could be more satisfying than being able to measure, in your own kitchen, your impact on food waste solutions and the reduction of CO2 emissions?

A brief history of pain perdu

The history of French toast dates back to Roman times, when this dish was already consumed to avoid wasting stale bread. Over time, the recipe spread throughout Europe and evolved, giving rise to different variations depending on the country and era, and is now even offered in gourmet restaurants where chefs continually reinvent the recipe. The basic recipe involves soaking stale bread in milk, eggs, and sugar, then frying it and serving it with sugar, spices, fruits, or jam. Although the French toast is called French toast, it does not only exist in France. The English recipe closely resembles the French version, with bread dipped in a mixture of milk, eggs, and sugar, then fried in butter. However, the English have a tradition of adding cinnamon and nutmeg to enhance the flavor of the dish. French toast is often served for breakfast, accompanied by maple syrup, fruits, or bacon. In Spain, French toast is known as torrijas. Torrijas are traditionally prepared during Holy Week, a fasting period for Christians. The Spanish recipe differs slightly from other European versions. The stale bread is soaked in milk or sweet wine, then in beaten eggs, before being fried in oil. The torrijas are then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, offering a unique sweet and spicy taste. In Germany, it’s called Arme Ritter, which means “poor knight”, and refers to a meal that can be prepared with limited financial means using inexpensive ingredients. In Portugal, French toast is a traditional Christmas dish called rabanadas. Contrarily to the French who considered this bread was, if not cooked, lost (“perdu”), the Dutch language seems to have a more positive view as French toast is called gewonnen brood (“gained bread”, since it is recovered), and that’s under this name that it can be found in Belgium or wentelteefjes in the Netherlands.

Are old recipes the new weapon to tackle food waste?

Originally a way to avoid wasting stale bread, French toast is, at least in France, a dessert that has definitely become a classic and that can even be found today on the menu of some gourmet restaurants. Easy to make, yummy and trendy, it seems that this could help us change the way we see food waste. And thanks to the Dutch, who are definitely our narrative changer just starting with the name!

What do you think is the best recipe to avoid food waste? Tell us in the comments!

Know a company for whom a FoodFutures workshop would be perfect? Let us know here : https://green-up.ch/de/workshops/
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_perdu
https://box-a-pain.fr/histoire-pain-perdu/
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https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/food