Saxony wants to promote healthier out-of-home catering

Canteens in Saxony are to offer people healthier, more regional and organic food in future. "In canteens and school catering with their tight budgets, it is still a great challenge to cook regionally and bioregionally," said Saxony's Minister of Agriculture Wolfram Günther (Greens) on Wednesday at the launch of the "Bio-Regio Kitchen Project" at the Karl Schubert School in Leipzig.

The project is intended to support educational institutions, care facilities and public administrations in particular through practice-oriented training and advice. The aim is to advise and train at least 60 canteen kitchens, inform diners and help providers with tendering procedures. The project will run until fall 2027.

"We encourage, advise and support kitchens in putting more regional and organic food on the plate," Günther continued. This is often more a question of logistics and creative recipes than prices. "Using more regional food means strengthening Saxon agriculture and the Saxon food industry." In addition, the short distances from the field to the plate protect the climate. All in all, this creates significant economic added value.

The project is being financed with around 1.8 million euros. It was commissioned by the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology. The contractor is the Berlin-based company Speiseräume - Urban Food Concepts GmbH. According to the information provided, interested kitchens can contact the project office in Dresden directly.