How Everybody Eats is Feeding Hungry Kiwis

Everybody Eats is on a mission to cut down New Zealand’s food waste and feed the 1 in 5 Kiwis who go hungry each week.  

Every year, Kiwis throw away 122,547 tonnes of food worth about $872 million* - that’s enough food to feed half the population of the Wellington region for one year! It’s a sobering thought, especially when you consider that, on average, 1 in 5 Kiwis will go hungry this week. A statistic which is likely to worsen due to the rising costs of living. One charity, however, is doing amazing work to support these people. 

Everybody Eats 

Everybody Eats is a multi-award-winning charitable dining concept - they take perfectly good raw food that would otherwise go to waste and turn it into restaurant quality 3-course meals. Customers can pay whatever they like, even if it's nothing, for nutritious and freshly prepared food. They’ve got it down to a fine art; a $5 donation can fund one 3-course meal for a vulnerable Kiwi. 

They aim to be part of solving three huge problems we have in NZ: food waste, food poverty, and social isolation. Everybody Eats is not a soup kitchen; they provide beautifully plated meals to anyone who wants to enjoy them, and serve them at shared tables, which encourages diners to interact with Everybody Eats volunteers as well as other diners in a safe, stigma-free environment. 
 
Since starting in 2017, they have diverted over 65 tonnes of food from landfill, engaged over 4,500 volunteers and have served over 90,000 individual 3-course meals. 

Goodie Box 

Many of us have been to a restaurant and either left food uneaten on the plate or taken it home in a doggie bag. The Goodie Box initiative from Everybody Eats takes this idea a step further. The 100% compostable box allows you take home any uneaten food while also making a (optional) charitable donation to provide a nutritious, three-course meal to a Kiwi in need.  

Last year, the concept was so successful that the boxes sold out, however, Covid prevented the fulfilment of new orders. This year, the Goodie Box is available once again at some of your favourite restaurants around the country including Ada, Cotto, Hallertau and Soul Bar - with more being added to the list! 

How does it work? 

1. Diners’ leftovers go in a Goodie Box (free to 
   the diner). 
2. Diner can make an optional $5 donation by scanning the QR code on the box. 
3. Diner takes leftovers home to enjoy tomorrow. 
4. Everybody Eats provides a fresh 3-course meal to a Kiwi in need. 

What do I need to do? 

If you’re a diner, your job is easy; Simply ask the restaurant for a Goodie Box the next time you have leftovers that you want to take home. If the restaurant hasn't heard of a Goodie Box before, let them know! 

If you work at or own a hospitality business, ordering Goodie Boxes is super easy. Simply visit goodie.co.nz and click “sign up my restaurant” in the sidebar. One of team will direct you from there. 

How Can I Get Involved? 

There are 3 main ways you can support Everybody Eats: 

Volunteering 

Registering to volunteer is easy, simply sign up here: https://everybodyeats.nz/get-involved 

You can help during the day with kitchen prep (and pick up some new skills from their chefs along the way!) or in the evening, waiting tables, pouring water or helping out with the dishes. 

Donating 

Donations can be made on a one-off or regular basis, and can be as big or as small as you like. You can donate online here: https://everybodyeats.nz/#donate 

If you work for or own a large company, there are loads of ways you can donate on behalf of your business. Donations are tax deductible too, so it's a no-brainer! Contact Maddy at [email protected] if you'd like to find out more about what your employer/business could be doing. 

Dining 

Enjoy a delicious 3-course meal with Everybody Eats! If you are able to leave a donation before you leave, that money goes back into creating more meals for those who can't afford it. Tell your friends, family and colleagues about Everybody Eats; the more people who know about them and what they do, the more hungry Kiwis they can help. 

To learn more about Everybody Eats including where to find one of their three restaurants, visit everybodyeats.nz  

Facebook: @everybodyeatsnz 

Instagram: @everybodyeatsnz

* Reducing your waste - Wellington City Council