At Åkerboskolan in Löttorp, Sweden, students are learning valuable lessons about food waste reduction through an annual cooking program called "Mästerkockarna" (The Master Chefs). According to a report from SVT Småland, the program has been running for several years and teaches students to cook with ingredients that have passed their best-before dates.
In this year's edition, students collaborated with a local grocery store to create a three-course meal using expired ingredients. The menu featured tomato soup, pork loin, and white chocolate pannacotta. One group used carrots that had passed their best-before date for the appetizer, while the main course was prepared with meat that had expired two days earlier.
Just because it says the food is old doesn't mean you should throw it away.
Student Evelyn Fechner commented on the initiative, saying, "Just because it says the food is old doesn't mean you should throw it away." Another student, Chloe Lund, expressed satisfaction with the results: "It was really fun to cook, and it actually turned out very tasty too."
The program educates students about the difference between "best-before dates" and "use-by dates," emphasizing that best-before dates are recommendations and food can often be consumed if it smells, tastes, and looks good. Use-by dates primarily apply to meat and fish, which should not be eaten after the date to avoid illness.
It was really fun to cook, and it actually turned out very tasty too.
When the food was taste-tested by a jury, the response was reportedly positive, with good flavors and a nice presentation, leaving the students proud of their achievement.