London, United Kingdom – A number of innovative projects are tackling a growing global concern: food waste.

The Brixton People’s Kitchen pop-up events and Save The Date cafe in east London are both part of a new worldwide trend of “pay-as-you-feel” meals prepared from food destined for landfills.

Instead of relying on the “use by” or “best before” dates, volunteers use common sense to cook improvised meals. The food is donated from local greengrocers and restaurants, or is picked up from waste piles at large fruit-and-vegetable markets.

The pay-as-you-feel concept means the intercepted food is accessible to all. Customers can get food by paying what they choose to, or in exchange for volunteering. 

Ruth McCabe founded the cafe Save the Date with her partner James Smart in August 2014.

“It’s completely illogical to waste food,” McCabe said. “By cooking it and serving it, we prove that it wasn’t waste in the first place.” 

The Food and Agriculture Organization says worldwide human beings waste about one-third of all the food produced – that’s 1.3 billion tonnes each year. 

Follow Silvia Boarini on Twitter: @Silviaboa