In America, we tend to eat three meals per day. We dine out several times per week. We heap our plates with more food than we can take in. We also tend to forget that not everyone worldwide has such access to a bevy of edible items. It's a good idea for people to know a little about the world hunger issue and what they can do to help address it.
“The issue is largely out of sight, out of mind for us," explains Seema Sanghavi, founder of Cooks Who Feed. “However, we all do care about those who need help. The more we know about it, the more we can choose to do something to help make it better.”
Here are 5 facts about world hunger that everyone should know:
In 2020, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), world hunger began outpacing the world population growth. It's estimated that around 10% of the people on the planet are undernourished. Over 149 million children under the age of five have stunted growth due to not receiving proper nutrition.
There are 2.3 billion people around the world who lack year-round access to adequate nutrition. Additionally, billions of adults lack access to healthy diets because it’s too expensive.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that 30-40% of the food supply in America is wasted. They estimate that 31% of that is lost at the retail and consumer levels. This adds up to 133 billion pounds of food.
The FDA has a goal for the country to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. They recommend individuals minimize food waste by making a list before shopping, buying only what is on the list, purchasing the "ugly" produce so it is not wasted, and asking for smaller portions when dining out or taking the leftovers home.
It's estimated that wasting food contributes 11% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
“I was blown away by world hunger statistics and wanted to do something to change them,” adds Sanghavi. "By starting Cooks Who Feed, I'm doing something, but I am giving everyone else a chance to as well."
Cooks Who Feed offers a line of celebrity-chef aprons that will provide 100 meals to those in need, with each one sold. Thus far, the organization has served over 530,000 meals to help fight world hunger. Cooks Who Feed has teamed up with three charity partners to ensure that meals go to those who need the help. They work with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine in the U.S., Second Harvest in Canada, and Zomato Feeding India. The food is all surplus that would otherwise go to waste and ends up providing immediate relief to people. By taking action, they can rescue the food and turn it into meals to serve some of the most vulnerable populations in need of food assistance.
The environmentally friendly aprons are made from natural, sustainable fibers. Every apron sold provides 100 meals for those in need, making it easy for some to help address world hunger. Additionally, every textile is handmade in India where the company provides safe, fair trade work to marginalized women.
October 16, 2022, is World Hunger Day, making it an ideal time to put the issue in the spotlight, individually and in the media.
The apron collection includes ones for adults and children. There are options from Christine Cushing, Art Smith, Romain Avril, Devan Rajkumar, and Gaggan Anand. Cooks Who Feed also offers handloom linen napkins and printed tea towels, each providing 50 meals to those in need. There are also gift boxes available.
Cooks Who Feed offers a line of celebrity chef aprons, aprons for kids, gift boxes, tea towels, linen napkins, and more. The company is 100% woman-owned, with its textiles being ethically produced in Delhi, India. They offer online sales, a retail line, and wholesale/corporate gifting options. To get more information or support the mission, visit the site: https://cookswhofeed.com
