GUSTOS is an European project that promotes the prevention and reduction of food waste in school canteens in the Basque Country and Catalonia. We work to involve the entire educational community in building a more conscious, fair, and sustainable food model.
Through educational and gastronomic interventions, GUSTOS encourages reflection, action, and the measurement of food waste in each school.
Partners
Who we are
The project, coordinated by Ausolan and developed in collaboration with Elika, Espigoladors, GOe Tech and DARPA, combines technical knowledge, social innovation, and gastronomic expertise to achieve a common goal: to reduce food waste by 15% before 2027.
Beyond the numbers, we seek to create shared learning experiences and transform school canteens into true spaces for change that inspire a more sustainable future.
In GUSTOS, we design five interventions that combine educational and gastronomic strategies to address food waste from an integrated perspective, considering the school canteen as a living space for experimentation, critical awareness, and collective learning.
What types of interventions do we foster?
EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS
We will implement three educational and training interventions in 10 schools in the Basque Country and Catalonia, with the objective of reducing food waste by at least 15% and fostering a shift in awareness toward more sustainable eating habits within the educational ecosystem.
Intervention 1: Training for school canteen staff.
Practical training addressed to the monitoring team so they can actively contribute to preventing and reducing food waste in the canteen, while promoting more sustainable habits together with the students.
Intervention 2: Educational games during the midday break.
Design and implementation of pedagogical games during the lunch break, with the goal of raising students’ awareness about food waste through playful and engaging activities that encourage critical observation and active students involvement in reducing food waste.
Intervention 3: Transformative pedagogical methodologies.
Application of the Service-Learning methodology so that students can research, think over and act regarding food waste, encouraging concrete initiatives that generate a positive impact in their immediate environment and integrating learning through action and community engagement.
What types of interventions do we foster?
GASTRONOMIC INTERVENTIONS
In GUSTOS, we use gastronomy as a driver of change to reduce food waste by at least 15% in 10 Basque Country and Catalonia school canteens. The interventions combine culinary creativity, education and participation to tailor the menus to the real tastes and needs of the students, and significantly reduce food waste in the canteen.
Intervention 1.
Using participatory methodologies, we co-create delicious, healthy and sustainable menus together with students and canteen staff.
Intervention 2.
In addition, we focus on the co-design of utensils that allow better portion control, avoiding excess and promoting more mindful consumption.
Small decisions in the kitchen trigger big changes for the planet!
TOOLBOX
The GUSTOS project places in your hands a complete Toolbox, featuring the best results and practical tools developed throughout the project. A resource kit designed so that the educational community and school catering services can apply, share, and transform their environments in a simple and effective way! This resource box includes:
Digital tool for quantifying food waste
Easily measure food waste in school canteens and check the impact of your actions. Start today!
Factsheets
Visual and effective educational and culinary strategies to prevent food waste. Get inspired and take action!
Personalized prevention plans
20 plans developed in collaboration with school communities to reduce food waste. Easy-to-replicate models for your school. Put them into action today!
Best practices and success stories
Discover real examples of schools that have significantly reduced food waste. Explore them and start transforming your environment!
CAPACITY BUILDING
Join GUSTOS’ Iniciatives
To ensure the project continues to grow and have a real impact, GUSTOS promotes training experiences and knowledge transfer events aimed at the educational community and the school catering sector. These will be spaces to share tools, experiences, and lessons learned to apply in everyday practice. Capacity building and knowledge exchange sessions.
Training Course
Designed for educational and school catering professionals. A 100% practical approach to applying the project’s tools in different contexts. Available in several languages.
Events and Knowledge Transfer
Coming soon! 4 online workshops, transferring events in Catalonia and the Basque Country, 2 European seminars, and workshops in both regions.
CONTACT
For any questions or inquiries, please contact:
