At The Lunch Club, we are committed to providing fresh, nutritious meals for vulnerable people in need. However, as we heavily rely on surplus food donations, we are faced with a unique challenge.
Unpredictability of Surplus Food
Unlike traditional meal services that can plan ingredient orders, we don’t always know
exactly what food supplies we will receive. Our supplies mainly come from the food
redistribution charities The Felix Project, City Harvest and Healthy Living Platform. We also receive donations from local supermarkets including Sainsbury's, M&S and Tesco. The variety we receive changes day by day. One day we might receive and abundance of fresh vegetables, while the next we are working with excess bread and dairy products.
This unpredictability means our cook team need to continuously improvise and adapt each week in the kitchen. Our incredible team enjoy getting creative and turning whatever arrives at our doorstep into a tasty, well-balanced meal with very little planning time.
The Challenge of Storage Space
Another large hurdle is being able to store the food safely until we can use it. Fresh produce, dairy, and meat require refrigeration and freezing. This is even more problematic in the warmer months when fresh produce has a shorter shelf life. However, our limited storage solutions mean we must come up with creative storage solutions and, frustratingly, we sometimes have to turn down donations.
Balancing nutrition with surplus
At The Lunch Club, our focus isn't just using surplus food to make meals, but to provide well-rounded, hearty lunches. Sometimes we may lack key ingredients, in which case we need to supplement with purchased goods to ensure the meals have nutritional value.
Looking ahead
The challenge of surplus food will always be a part of our mission. But through support, expanding our storage capacity, and strengthening partnerships, we can ensure more food is used effectively to support those in our community who need it most.
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