Small shifts, big impact: Every Bite’s first 2026 programmes a success
Wilted spinach. Half a pumpkin. The forgotten leftovers at the back of the fridge. For many, February was about giving that food a second life.
116 people in Whangārei, Oranga, Te Atatū, Tauranga, and Marlborough took part in Every Bite programmes over February, run by Ecosolutions, Ecomatters, Tāmaki WRAP, Envirohub BOP and Envirohub Marlborough.
The programme featured an event at each end of the four weeks, plus online support in between for the participants. People enjoyed the opportunity to connect, hear from experts, and share ideas on making the most of kai, said facilitators.
98% of participants said they would continue with Every Bite activities at home, and 91% felt more resourceful in reducing food waste at home. One noted that being part of a group has helped normalise the aim of using all edible kai, which was a shift from composting older items by default.
More comments from participants:
“The whole programme is pretty useful, especially when it comes to ‘use it up’ meals. It's really helpful.”
“These exercises flowed onto other good things for my whānau. I now use a lot of kai before they go past the ‘use by’, and it has helped me to reintroduce menu planning with shopping lists.”
“We have now an ‘eat me first’ shelf, place all leftovers into glass jars, and have cut down on all food waste.”
“I am using up more of my wilted sad veggies in my meals instead of rejecting them to the food scrap bin.”
“Enjoyed the project concept, Rae's korero and knowledge, physical cooking and experimenting, meeting new people in our community, and time with friends.”
“The consistency of support from our facilitators helped to motivate me when I found it challenging. I got great inspo from them.”
Food Appreciation Month in May will see more Every Bite programmes happening across Aotearoa, both in-person and online.
“May 2026 will be our biggest month yet,” says Project Manager Georgina Morrison. “All our hub partners will be running programmes. Food Appreciation Month is about more than reducing waste - it’s about connection, creativity, and recognising the whakapapa of our kai. We’re excited to see communities across Aotearoa embrace that.”
Ready to waste less and make more of your kai? Don’t miss out. Join the Every Bite mailing list to be the first to hear about upcoming programmes near you.
Launch event at EnviroHub BOP