Last week I had the opportunity to attend a dinner with Kroger to discuss their Zero Hunger, Zero Waste initiative. Bailey Rae hosted this amazing dinner party surrounded by a beautiful meal, deep conversations and community leaders looking to make a change.
Kroger is committed to ending hunger in the communities they call home and eliminating waste through their Zero Hunger Zero Waste plan. The goal is by 2025. Kroger is partnering with food banks, like Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, to rescue more food than ever.
All Kroger stores in the Nashville division participate in food waste recycling. Most of the food waste picked up from area Kroger stores are being turned into animal food. Through Food Rescue, Food Waste Recycling and recycling of other products like cardboard and plastics, Kroger was able to send 8% less to landfills in 2018.
In 2018, The Kroger Company donated 316 million meals in food and funds. This year, the company introduced its $10 million dollar Zero Hunger Zero Waste Innovation Fund to support these initiatives to help reduce waste and address hunger. One way the stores will be reducing waste is by completing phases out of single use plastic bags by 2025.
Discussion around the dinner table included ways to individually reduce waste in our homes as well as brainstorming ways to help end hunger in our community.
Bailey Rae is such a warm and welcoming host. She also incorporated foods into the menu that would normally go to waste quickly into the courses of the evening. The menus were even printed on wildflower seed paper that can be planted. If you’re looking to host a dinner party without having to actually host it yourself, I highly recommend Bailey Rae.
What are some ways to reduce waste in your home?