From 10 to 19 January, Rikolto organised the ‘Week voor Goed Eten’ ('Week for Good Food'). This annual initiative highlights people's right to healthy and sustainable food. The City of Leuven and Leuven 2030, in collaboration with a number of partners within the FEAST project, seize this opportunity to work with Leuven residents of all ages and backgrounds on healthy, affordable and local food, as well as to enjoy it.

Connecting by cooking

Several cooking workshops took place across Leuven on 15 January. In the Rotonda, Leuveners prepared a vegan menu with teenagers from a living group, while children, parents and grandparents from the school De Regenboog came up with vegetarian spreads in the print shop in Kessel-Lo. Meanwhile, Foodatelier César provided a workshop in community centre Wilsele-Dorp for the children of the Kettebende. Another tasty treat: on Wednesday 22 January, top chef Kwinten de Paepe and youngsters from HONK prepared a meal in the HONKantine.

It is not only about healthy, tasty and sustainable food, but also about bringing people from different backgrounds together through the connecting power of food
‍Marie Mauer, Leuven 2030

‘Thanks to the FEAST project, Leuven 2030 can support these workshops both organisationally and partly financially,’ explains Marie Mauer, FEAST project coordinator. ‘Our mission is to make healthy food accessible to everyone, and these workshops take a step in that direction.’

‘These kinds of collaborations bring FEAST's vision to life,’ Marie continues. ‘It's not only about healthy, delicious and sustainable food, but also about bringing people from different backgrounds together through the connecting power of food. Everyone is welcome at the feast.’

Healthy food as a lever for social justice‍

With the food strategy ‘Voeding Verbindt’ (‘Food Connects’), Leuven aims to bring healthy, sustainable and affordable food closer to its residents. Various parties are working together to achieve this. There is also an offer for Leuven schools. Through the network of School 2030, the city and Rikolto support Leuven schools in developing an overall nutrition policy. With partners such as the city of Leuven, Rikolto, KU Leuven and SAAMO, Leuven 2030 aims to help build an inclusive food strategy, where no one is left out.

The FEAST project, coordinated in Leuven by Leuven 2030, puts a strong emphasis on social justice in this context. ‘Together with several Leuven-based organisations, we are focusing on groups that often have difficult access to healthy food,’ Marie explains. ‘That is why this year we are also starting a project on healthy food in social restaurants.’

Meanwhile, FEAST and partners continue to develop concrete solutions to make healthy and sustainable food more accessible and strengthen partnerships. ‘We work together around the theme of food,’ concludes Marie. ‘but it's also about creating meeting places and organising activities where you come together to cook, eat and connect. Thanks to FEAST and the collaboration with our various partners, we can contribute to this.’