by Maria Quezada Bandini, November 29, 2021

My post this quarter I wanted to talk about a project that I think would be motivating and positive for our future, striving for #zerofoodwastechallenge goal at Kendall.

The more thought I give it, the more I keep coming back to pickling. Nowadays, pickling vegetables has been a very big trend in the industry. Pickling is process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. This challenge would address the source reduction since we would use more of the food available and reduce the surplus. An educational workshop in school that would teach everyone how to properly preserve the food. This could be voluntary or part of the food ethics class. I think people would be surprised on how easy it is and how great the results can be. The workshop can be broken down in different types of pickling brines, vegetables, and even fruits. The secret to a unique, flavorful pickle is in the spices you add to the brine.

Once pickled and jarred, this food can even be sold as a Kendall product and increase profits as well. The school could invest in printing labels for the jars and market them as Kendall Products. Once the brand gains some recognition, it can expand into other products. Eventually, the sales would even cover the marketing expenses.

In the long-term, the outcome would ideally be that the school no longer tosses unused vegetables, spices, and/or fruits. If we are all aware of how easy pickling is, all students could ensure this is a procedure made constantly. Additionally, it would teach students a business entrepreneurship side of it as well since we would start a Kendall College line of products. The student would not only learn about ways to reduce waste but also about how to do it in a profitable way.