Money-saver: No-waste cooking classes in France

Food prices continue to rise, so it is more important than ever to ensure nothing goes to waste.

However, when it comes to making use of everything in the kitchen, traditional knowhow is slowly being lost.

Fortunately, more and more cooking classes in France focus on teaching you how to reduce waste, and therefore save money.

In Paris, for example, the Altrimenti association offers workshops on preparing Italian dishes using unwanted ingredients, including stalks and peel.

Search online for atelier cuisine anti-gaspillage and the name of your town or department to see if there are classes in your area, run by local business owners or associations.

If nothing is happening near you, you might be able to join a class from home.

Sandrine Costarramone, who offers coaching sessions in in Bordeaux via her company AllezSentiel, also holds online classes via video conference (€30 for one hour).

Other events focus more on the quality of the food, still with budget in mind.

Over the last decade, groups of farmers have been organising Défis Foyers à Alimentation Positive – households come together in teams and are challenged to consume more local organic products without spending more on food.

The programme includes free support, such as cooking classes and advice for reducing waste. The challenges take place in several regions.

Find out more at foyersaalimentationpositive.fr.

French households throw away the equivalent of 20kg of edible food per person in household waste each year, including 7kg of products that are still in their packaging, according to environment agency Ademe.

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