Reducing Hunger

We typically think of hunger as a distribution problem. That is, there is enough food, but it is not being distributed to all the people who need it. The reason for this in a stable society is largely economic and political. In an unstable society the reasons can range from inadequate transportation or storage to the political instability produced by warlords or local militias. There are at least two other mechnisms by which hunger can be reduced. The first has to do with the mechnisms of food production. Reducing hunger at the production level refers to increasing the yield of consumable food by reducing waste through methods like gleaning and value engineering. Reducing hunger at the preparation level is based on teaching people how to cook commodities and other more available foods in ways they find appetizing. It is also focused on teaching people how to cook vegetables and other more nutritious foods that are often available, but lie unused in food pantries or home cupboards because the hungry may not know how to prepare them in appetizing ways.

Reducing hunger is also concerned with the level of resources one allocates to food. Learning to prepare favorite dishes brings less reliance on purchasing more expensive prepared food. Learning sanitation and storage preserves food resources by reducing food lost through contamination.

We’re Cooking Now works with individual families and communities to identify food preferences and available resources in order to create and teach recipes that people will then know how to make, that they will want to eat, and that will sustain their biochemical needs.