The food sustainability guidelines set by the SSPICE IT! project have reached Roma Tre University, thanks to the students of CMFP Castelfusano, one of the Italian VET centre participating in the project.
The students were invited to cook during an important event hosted by the University and they decided to apply all the principles studied in the project Training Programme.
In particular, the menu focused on seasonality, the use of local products, and waste reduction. The students reused all vegetable trimmings, significantly reduced meat consumption, and chose foods with a low ecological footprint. Even in the laboratory, energy-efficient practices were adopted, with low water consumption and strict waste separation.
SSPICE IT! is, therefore, achieving its first successes. The training program developed by the partners address the issue of sustainability under different aspects, from the selection of the food and suppliers to the techniques used in the kitchen, enhancing also entrepreneurial and digital skills. The 5 VET centres involved (including CMFP Marino and Castelfusano in Italy) are carrying out the 120 hours training programme, with their students (principally Restaurant operators and Kitchen technicians).
To be able to put concretely in practice all the lessons learned is an essential step for the project. Thanks to the commitment of the students of the vocational school, the SSPICE IT! project guidelines have found concrete implementation in educational settings, promoting a sustainable and responsible lifestyle.
Moreover, the event at the Roma Tre University was also an opportunity to promote peer—to-peer education. The third-year classes involved had the chance to share their knowledge about sustainability with first-year classes, allowing them to learn the initial concepts of food sustainability. A good groundwork for this best practice to become a tradition.
