Since a few weeks, we teamed up with Posthof, to provide the sweet extra with your coffee. They invested in a machine that grinds bread surpluses, to re-create flour and make delicious new things. The 'Breadwinner': a circular initiative we like very much!
Posthof Community
All of you that live in our awesome neighbourhood, might know Posthof already, but let us introduce them shortly. Posthof is a Berchem based vzw, where people with all sorts of backgrounds come together, and they especially reach out to more vulnerable target groups within our society. Based on talents and belief in potential, they guide people towards chances and possibilities, creating a more positive community along the way. They initiate several projects related to employment, wellbeing, and youth. In short, the kind of organisation who's contribution is absolutely priceless and highly necessary in current urban & diverse surroundings like Antwerp.
Food waste
Just like they avoid people getting lost in our society, they want to prevent food from getting lost and wasted. One of their projects concerns food waste, as it is a huge problem: way too much perfectly fine nourishments are being thrown away, while families in poverty struggle to get a decent meal on the table. So, Posthof collects food surpluses from local shops. Think bread, fruit, vegetables and fruit, dairy or meat. They redistribute and, amongst other things, process the food in their social restaurant.
It seems bread in particular is a problem when we are talking food surpluses. On average, Belgian bakeries throw away 7% of their production every week. And there's more: a study run by the Flemish government shows that a whopping 23% of our domestic waste consists of... bread and pastry. So if you want to make a little difference in the problem of food waste, bread might be a good starting point.
The Breadwinner
Enter 'The Breadwinner'. If there was ever anything in a name ;-) All the collected bread is grinded to a very fine flour, that is perfectly suited for baking again. A few bakeries in Berchem use the flour for new yummy treats, and at Posthof, it is used to bake delicious cookies. Lara from Lara Kookt voor U helped out to give them their yummie flavour! You can try and buy them at Goeiemorgen, Cabagine, Sonseveria, Kornél and at yours truly ;-) The small cookies come with your coffee, you can buy the big cookies to take home, for €1.
It is even possible to go and grind your own leftover bread! The Posthof volunteers made a recipe book, where you'll find enough inspiration to re-use your old bread, you can find it here. For all other inquiries, go knock on Posthof's door, they'll be happy to help you out!
Sources:
https://www.buurtcentrum-posthof.be/
https://www.broodenbanket.be/
BREADWINNER COOKIES €1
Chocolate nibs
Peanut butter
